Rings of Promise
by Kasumi Hayashibara
Summary: A collection of various and unrelated oneshots inspired by the OTRFK series. Takes place either before or in-between the novels. Ratings may vary per chapter
1. Distant Gaze

**Disclaimer:** _Only the Ring Finger Knows_ does not belong to me. It belongs to Kannagi Satoru and to all its proper copyrights.

Hi and hello to everyone! This story has been pounding in my head, practically screaming to get out. I couldn't resist it anymore so I decided to go ahead and write it.

**Rings of Promise** is going to be a collection of various, unrelated one-shots that are inspired by the OTRFK series. The stories could be before or in-between the novels. It could even be AU-ish in some ways. I already have three stories planned for this, but I intend to add more as I go along the way. The ratings may vary per chapter, so look out for the rating.

Anyway, here's the first story.

**Chapter Summary:** Yuichi has always been watching. Even if his feelings are one-sided, he'll continue to watch from afar. (Takes place before vol1)

**Rating:** General

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RINGS OF PROMISE

**First Story: Distant Gaze**

* * *

Yuichi hid in the cool shadows of the stairwell, away from prying eyes and enthusiastic admirers. The summer season is fast approaching, that proven by the number of students opting to wear the summer uniform instead. Though there is still a cool breeze blowing once in a while, there are times that the heat of the sun became unbearable. That is why he chose to stay in the stairwell for a while to cool off, as well as to avoid any unwarranted attention.

He leaned against the wall, feeling the cold concrete against his flustered back. He immediately felt a sense of relief flush through his body, quenching whatever heat wave or stroke that had surged sheer moments ago. Once in a while, he'd hear the sounds of footsteps approaching along with the chatter of students making their way, but they would all too soon disappear and fade into the distance, returning him to the peace and quiet he had originally known. And whenever he was plunged into silence, his thoughts would begin to wander to the very same subject over and over again—something that has plagued him ever since that spring.

Fujii Wataru…

Ever since the day he had first caught a glimpse of that boy, he couldn't erase him from his mind. That picturesque scene of the boy's smiling face has been engraved—burned—forever in his eyes. The soft glow of the sun's rays accentuating each contour of his face with resplendence. His chocolate-brown hair glimmered under the light, and his deep black eyes sparkled brightly like stars in the midnight-sky. His cheeks tugged back as his rose-colored lips stretched into a radiant smile. His thin and slender fingers carefully held the silver ring that shone brightly as if it rejoiced being returned to its owner.

No matter at which angle Yuichi looked at it, he couldn't deny being captivated by the scene. He had never seen anything so beautiful before in his entire life. It was then, at that moment in time, that he fell inexplicably and helplessly in love. It wasn't something that he had planned on doing; it just happened. It was illogical. But he couldn't deny the intensity of the emotions he had.

He's in love with Fujii Wataru.

Yuichi chuckled and swept away the strands of honey-colored hair that had blocked his eyes. Falling hopelessly in love was very uncharacteristic of him. Surely, people would be astonished and probably laugh if ever they learn of his situation. A man deeply in love with another man… But it was the truth—the whole and absolute truth.

He closed his eyes for a second, carefully listening to the swaying of the leaves as a small gust of wind brushed by. If he listened a bit more, he could probably also hear the gushing of water from the courtyard's faucet, or maybe the sound of screeching chalk from the classroom further down the hall. But in his mind, all he could see was the face of the young boy that had seized his heart.

Yuichi wondered what it would be like if perhaps these one-sided feelings of his would be returned. What if, by strange and fortunate luck, he and Wataru would be able to meet and exchange vows of love? He shook his head. "You're dreaming awake," he said to himself. But nevertheless, he stretched out his right hand, making believe that he could touch that boy, and that their hands overlapped with one another. The bright, silver ring on his middle finger glowed like a luminescent candle in the dark.

"I have always been watching…" he spoke in a low whisper, only the air bearing witness to his words. From the time he had first laid eyes on Fujii Wataru, he had already been watching. He knows which classroom he's in, which seat is his; that he isn't member to any club, that he recently broke up with his girlfriend and that the ring he held so preciously close to him could be a symbol of that estranged love. Yuichi knew all those things, yet he hadn't even spoken to him personally.

But he is always watching… Always…

Coming in everyday of school; sneaking a peek at every corner; hoping to catch a glimpse of that dark-eyed boy once again. He had already lost count the number of times his eyes had searched for him, singling him out of the many students he'd see. He would always catch him with his friends; laughing, smiling, being merry. And in that instant, he would feel a torrent of envy and jealousy. Even as he walked down the corridors with his own friends, chatting about something, he would look from the corner of his eye at all the other eyes watching him and hope, pray, that one of those eyes belonged to his beloved Wataru. And he would always feel dejected whenever he saw the boy, but his gaze wasn't directed at him.

It tore his heart apart.

"Always…" he murmured as his eyes glimmered with sadness and loneliness. "I've always watched… You are… the only thing I ever see… My world, my light… The very ground I walk on…" In that small space of the stairwell, no one heard his melancholy save for the shadows that outlined his figure into a silhouette.

"This isn't fair!" a voice suddenly snapped, breaking his chain of thoughts. "Why does that Kazuki Yuichi get to have _everything_?!" The frustrated voice continued its ramblings while Yuichi sunk himself deeper into the shadows, hiding his presence. "Kazuki Yuichi thinks he's like a celebrity! Well, guess what? He's not! There's nothing great about him!"

Yuichi found it odd and surprisingly amusing. No doubt, the person was making complaints out of envy and not out of valid basis. But he assumed it was only natural. He has heard nothing but praises and noteworthy comments to his face. It's logical that people would gossip about him behind his back. But he really didn't care. He was never one to allow himself to be immersed with bad rumors and controversy.

"You're just upset that Tachibana likes him and not you," another voice spoke, most likely the companion of the other.

"You're damn right it's about Mai-chan! What's so good about Kazuki Yuichi, anyway? I don't see anything special. Do you, Wataru?"

Yuichi, who had been listening nonchalantly to the conversation, suddenly perked with great shock and amazement. _Wataru… He couldn't be… Fujii Wataru, could he…?_ He peeked from his "hiding place" and caught sight of two underclassmen standing by the corner. The taller one was hunched against the wall, feeling gloomy about something (probably about this "Mai-chan"), and the other—the shorter one—was trying to calm him down the best he could.

Yuichi's eyes widened with astonishment. There was no mistaking it. It's Fujii Wataru! A wild, erratic heartbeat began to pound in his chest, painfully ripping his ribcage apart. He felt his entire body freeze, and his legs firmly root to the spot. Fujii Wataru was a few feet away from where he stood! Since when did he ever get this close to the boy? Always… it was always from afar… but this time, he had a clear view of the boy's handsome face. And there was no doubt about it. He felt it before and he was still feeling it now… the feeling of entering paradise merely by looking upon that radiant face.

"Kawamura…" Wataru spoke, patting his friend on the back. "You're just upset. It'll be all right."

"No, it won't!" the taller boy whined, shaking his head furiously. "Mai-chan is the girl of my dreams, and Kazuki Yuichi is taking her from me! I mean, what's so great about him?!"

"Well…" Wataru drawled. "He's smart, rich, handsome, the most popular guy in school…"

"Wataru… Are you against me…?"

"N-No…" he waved his hands in defense. "But it's really not Kazuki Yuichi's fault. I mean, the guy is really popular with the girls. It's natural that Tachibana would fall for him as well."

"…So you think he's great too, don't you?"

"…Well, I…"

Yuichi strained to listen. What did Wataru think of him? What did his existence mean to the boy? If anything, he felt his heart pound more violently that it did earlier. He didn't know if he could withstand this revelation, and yet he _had_ to know. Every fiber in his body was aching to find out.

"I… I think he's a great guy," the dark-eyed boy finally spoke. "I mean, honestly, I think he's really cool. He's nice, and he's one of the most amazing people I've seen. I really… admire him."

"Wataru…" Kawamura bawled.

"Wherever I go, I always see Kazuki. From afar, I can't really tell what kind of guy he is, but he's always kind and caring. Although… sometimes… I can't help but feel he's a little lonely…"

"Lonely?" the taller boy echoed skeptically. "Kazuki Yuichi is lonely…? That guy has a _fanclub_! What makes you think he's lonely?"

"I don't know," Wataru scratched his head. "It's just… Whenever I see him, he always seems to be… 'not there'… like he wants to be some place else. Like he's searching for something…"

"Searching…?"

"I know it's a bit outrageous, but…" Wataru tilted his head a bit as if to ponder something. "Sometimes, I feel like his eyes are on me."

"……" Kawamura put his hand on his friend's forehead. "Are you okay? You don't have a fever, do you?"

"Wha—What are you talking about, Kawamura?" the he shrugged off his hand.

"Well, you're talking like a one of those Kazuki-fangirls. Have you fallen in love with him?"

"No!" Wataru retorted. "You say the strangest things. Jeez." He pried himself away from his friends grasp, and stomped off fuming and steam coming out from his ears. His face was also a considerable shade of red.

"Wataru, wait!" Kawamura called and ran after him. "You're supposed to comfort me and my broken heart! Let's buy some beer!!"

Little by little, the sounds of their voices and footsteps faded away, and Yuichi was graced with silence yet again. As the minutes passed by, he gradually began to feel himself breathe again, but the funny thing is he didn't even remember holding his breath. Although his body began to relax a bit, his muscles were still tensed from what he had heard.

"_I can't help but feel he's a little lonely._"

In all honesty, when he heard Wataru say this, his entire body had gone rigid with surprise. In his entire life, no one had ever said or even thought of him as "lonely", but he did feel that way. Amazing… a boy he didn't know until a few months ago, and didn't know him personally, had immediately deduced that he was feeling aloof.

But what really caught his attention was when the young boy said, "_Sometimes, I feel like his eyes are on me._" He had thought his existence was insignificant to the boy, and yet he was able to notice even something about him—something that no one, not even his family and friends, knew about. Yuichi subconsciously clutched his heart as he felt it form another aberrant rhythm.

"_I really… admire him._"

Perhaps, even for just a brief moment, he could pretend that the "admiration" is "love", and that the rings they wore on their fingers were promises—vows made to reach eternity together. Even if it's just a fantasy that would eventually be shattered, even for a little while, he'll pretend. That's because he's watching… he's always watching. Even if these feelings are one-sided, he'll continue to watch, to gaze at him from afar.

Only through this distant gaze can his feelings blossom into true and untainted love.

* * *

End.

--

Tell me what you guys think. Review, please! n___n

Oh, and since I wrote this story, chances are, _Untouched Ring_ will be updated next week. Sorry for the long wait... T.T


	2. Heat

Sorry for the extremely long wait for the second story, but I suppose everyone was aware of my situation since you all read _The Untouched Ring_, right? Well, that's all in the past!

The second story is a fictional re-creating of Kazuki and Wataru's first time. Back when I hadn't read the novels and had only seen the manga, I was imagining what Kazuki and Wataru's first time would be like. I must say, the way I imagined it turned out to be completely different from the actual thing. But this is what I had initially pictured it out to be. I decided to finally write it down and post it as a fanfic.

Enjoy! There are some elements that I captured from a SasuNaru doujinshi by Acute Girls titled "Skin".

**Disclaimer:** _Only the Ring Finger Knows_ does not belong to me. It belongs to Kannagi Satoru and to all its proper copyrights.

**Rings of Promise** is a collection of various, unrelated one-shots that are inspired by the OTRFK series. The stories could be before or in-between the novels. It could even be AU-ish in some ways. The ratings may vary per chapter, so look out for the rating.

**Chapter Summary:** Wataru wants to move forward in his relationship with Kazuki, but doesn't know how to approach. Thinking about it is driving him insane, but good thing there's the Ryokuyo Festival, which helps him keep his mind off things.

**Rating:** 16+

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RINGS OF PROMISE

**Second Story: Heat**

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Wataru glared at the letters scribbled on his notebook. They made up foreign words that he couldn't understand, let alone read. English had always been his poor subject, and his knowledge of the language itself was equally poor. He supposed he considered himself lucky to be tutored by his boyfriend, none other than the school's heartthrob—Kazuki Yuichi—but lately, for some reason, he couldn't concentrate properly in their study sessions.

"Oi, are you listening?" Kazuki asked with a slight frown on his face. "I've been explaining it to you but do you already get it?"

"Eh?" Wataru uttered, as if brought out from a dream. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

"What's wrong with you lately," the older boy sighed. "You've been spacing out."

"S-Sorry," he replied, casting his eyes upon his notes. As much as possible, he didn't want Kazuki to notice. "I was just thinking if it's really okay for you to be helping me study like this. I mean, you are aiming for Tokyo University, right? Shouldn't you be studying as well?"

Kazuki scowled, clearly irritated about something. "Don't worry," he said. "I'm doing just fine. Besides, I'm the one who offered to tutor you, right?"

"……"

"Wataru…"

Wataru raised his head as he felt a shadow loom over him. Next thing he knew, his lips were occupied by another's. His eyes widened with surprise, but gradually closed, and he began to kiss back. He clutched on to Kazuki's arms for support, as he opened his mouth, allowing their tongues to mesh with one another. It was a strong, hot and passionate kiss. The sound of their lips smacking against one another echoed in the empty room, all the while, the sunset lined out their silhouette.

When the necessity to breathe dawned on them, they hesitantly broke off; panting and trails of saliva dripping down the corner of their mouths. "You're being willful," the older of the two smirked. "Are you gonna tell me you can't concentrate coz you're frustrated?"

Wataru turned different shades of red at that comment. He quickly gathered his things together and shoved them in his bag. "You wish!" he pouted. "And watch it! Someone could've seen us!" He dragged his feet to the door, pulled it open with a harsh tug. Its hinges rattled loudly, almost in pain from the sudden jolt. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kazuki," he said and turned to wave good bye to the older boy. "Thanks for the tutorial." After that, he bolted out of the room, not even looking back.

Left alone in the room, Kazuki watched the young boy's retreating back until he disappeared from view. He stared at his hand that held Wataru sheer moments ago, still feeling the boy's warm skin in his clasp. He closed his eyes and formed an unreadable expression on his face.

As Wataru strode down the pavement for home, the kiss in the classroom kept replaying in his mind like a broken record. Normally, he would walk home with Kazuki, especially if it was this late. But, lately, whenever he was alone with Kazuki, his head would get all fuzzy and his temperature would rise. He wasn't stupid. He knew perfectly well what he was feeling.

He brought his fingers to his lips and felt the lingering traces of Kazuki's warm kiss. He sighed in disappointment. If the kiss had persisted, where would it lead to? It had been three months since he and Kazuki had gotten together, and so far, kissing was their limit. They hadn't gone further than that nor had they discussed if they were _ever_ going beyond that.

It was a rather silly thing to discuss, in his opinion. Surely, it is something that would naturally take its own course. It's not something that is decided within a moment's whim. It has to be properly taken into consideration, like how would it affect their current relationship. It is brought about by complete and total trust between partners.

_But is it abnormal to want it so badly?_

He'll admit it—not openly, but he'll still admit it. He wanted to move forward—to take their relationship to the next level. But the problem was how to approach with the matter.

Wataru looked up at the sky and shielded his eyes from the sun's rays. Summer would soon be over; after that would be the changing of seasons. He'd be seeing less and less of his lover due to the exams all seniors must take. And in no time, Kazuki would have graduated and, knowing the guy's excellence, he would no doubt be accepted into Tokyo University. How time flies… It feels like only yesterday they both met, fell in love, and kissed amid the hydrangeas.

"It's hot," he murmured.

--

"So it's decided!" Tachibana clapped her hands together to hush the class down. "We'll be doing an ice cream parlor, okay?"

The class went back into a buzzing noise, some favoring the idea, some going against it. With Ryokuyo High's festival drawing nearer, the class had yet to decide on an event they would do. Obviously, the girls wanted to do the ice cream parlor so that they could wear cute waitress outfits and, with any luck, catch Kazuki Yuichi's attention. Of course, the guys protested to that, and would have much wanted to make a host club, which they claim is to popularize the class. However, that was also met by the girls' protests.

"Looks like the ice cream parlor wins," Kawamaru said, watching the debate with amusement. "Tachibana always wins in these kinds of arguments. I swear no one can beat her."

"……"

"Wataru? Are you okay? You're spacing out."

"Huh? I-It's nothing. I'm just thinking about something…"

"Like what?"

Before Wataru could answer, there were loud squeals and sighs from the girls in the front row of the class. Both boys turned their attention to them with curiosity, and quickly discovered the reason for all the excitement.

"Kazuki-senpai!!!!!!"

Wataru sunk back in his seat as he watched, from a corner of his eye, Tachibana run up to Kazuki and talk to him about something. It didn't really concern him what they were chatting about, no doubt it's about Ryokuyo High's festival. Even though it was the duty of the Student Council and events committee, apparently, the president had asked Kazuki for help. And being the good, model student everyone knows him to be, he accepted and is currently traveling from classroom to classroom to take note of the "store" each class would be running.

"Do please visit us, okay, Kazuki-senpai?" Tachibana said with a sweet smile as soon as she told him they'd be doing an ice cream parlor. She clasped her hands together in front of her, attempting to look cute in front of him. But the older boy didn't look fazed by her subtle flirting.

"I'll make sure to drop by," he replied with ever his pleasant smile. His eyes roamed about the room and landed on Wataru who had been watching him all throughout. There was a sense of longing in both their eyes, but the moment they locked gazes on each other, Wataru immediately turned his head away, breaking eye contact. Kazuki's face became blank, and his eyes downcast. Almost hesitantly, he bid the class farewell and proceeded to the next room. Even after he left, the squeals and giggles of the girls continued to resound in the room.

_Careful, don't let anyone notice_, a voice in Wataru's mind whispered. Even when their eyes meet, a surge of electricity jolts inside him, making his entire body numb. It was getting worse and worse.

--

It was lunch break. They were by the stairwell when a friend of theirs, Koichi, jumped on them being all happy and jubilant. He waved to the two boys the pride and absolute fulfillment of his youthful life. Wataru and Kawamura had to take a few steps back in order to get a good look of the items the boy held in his hands.

"Check it out," Koichi huffed. "Have you guys seen a better collection of porn magazines on the face of the planet? They're all limited edition issues! A real collector's item!!"

"Really?" Kawamura exclaimed, grabbing one of the magazine and flipping them open. "Hey, these oikora models are well-made. You can't tell the difference!"

Wataru looked at them with little amusement. It's no surprise. Every boy has at least one dirty magazine in his room. It's all part of growing up, after all; puberty as they call it. _Although, I can't imagine Kazuki owning one_, he thought. The mere thought of Kazuki even owning a dirty magazine was ridiculous. He was about to ramble on about other nonsensical matters, when a magazine was thrown into his hands, catching him off guard. He stared at the item curiously, and nearly yelped with shock at the sight of couples engaging in what some people would like to call "animal ferocity". Not to mention they were in different angles and positions… and he swore that the girl on page 26 is probably a contortionist with the way she bends over…

"My gift to you, Fujii," Koichi said. "You have a lover now, right? So it might come in handy."

"Ehhh????" he blushed with embarrassment.

"Awww, isn't that cute?" Koichi cooed. "I thought that since you had a girlfriend before, you'd already be an expert with these kinds of things. But I had no idea you were still pure."

"Pure…" Wataru drawled; the words really not fully registering in his head.

"Since you wear your ring on your ring finger, everyone here pretty much assumes you have girlfriend again. I never would've guessed that you'd still be a virgin. How innocent you are… You probably don't have wet dreams, do you?"

Kawamura covered his mouth to keep himself from laughing, but that resulted in a snort. Koichi grinned as his eyes formed tiny slits like fox's eyes. Wataru turned red again with embarrassment and a pinch of annoyance. "F-For your information," he stuttered. "I do think of those kinds of things! I mean, we kiss a lot, but I really want to forward with our relationship!"

"What?!" both boys dropped their jaws; each for different reasons.

"Wataru, are you serious?" Kawamura asked, paling as he did so. Only he, among their social circle of friends, knew about the boy's relationship with the popular Kazuki Yuichi who happens to be also a boy. And even though he knew perfectly well that there comes a time in a couple's relationship that they decide to consummate their love with their bodies, it had never really occurred to Kawamura that his best friend and the school heartthrob would do so as well. Heck, he never even imagined exactly how guys did it! _Oh no,_ he mentally groaned. _It's in my head. Nasty images! Go away!_

"Awesome, Fujii!" Koichi's eyes shone bright with admiration. "You da man! Exactly how many times do you think of it, anyway?"

"…Everyday," he uttered. "I think about it everyday, every single second of my life!"

"Woah!" his two friends chorused; Kawamura nearly fainting, while Koichi drew closer with his eyes shining brighter than before. "Looks like our li'l Wataru-chan ain't so innocent after all, right Kawamura?" he grinned while nudging his friend with his elbow. Kawamura chuckled nervously wondering what to make of this conversation. Maybe if he just covered his ears and hummed a nursery rhyme, he could tune it out. Better yet, he could think of extremely displeasing and unattractive thoughts—like his grandmother in a two-piece bikini.

"But…" Wataru added with a quite a serious expression. "How _do_ you ask someone to have _sex_ with you?"

And with that, Kawamura—age seventeen, single, second year high school—lost consciousness.

--

A dream… It had to be a dream… There's no way it was real…

That's what was going through Kawamura's mind when he opened his eyes and found himself in the school infirmary. "Are you feeling okay now?" Wataru asked, sitting beside him on a stool. Kawamura blinked, feeling a bit disoriented. But then, everything came back to him, and he let out a loud groan in agony.

"K-Kawamura!" Wataru nearly jumped out of his seat. "Are you okay? Should I call the nurse?"

"No," the boy moaned. "I'm not okay! Because you were saying weird things… What's this about asking someone to have _sex _with you??"

Wataru looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was listening. After that, he leaned closer and hushed his friend. "Not so loud," he said in a whisper. "And you fainted over _that_?"

"Well sorry for being single and normal!" he pouted. "But seriously… are you thinking of doing it with Kazuki…? Wataru?"

"…Yes…" he replied hesitantly. "But the problem is, I don't know how to proceed. It's not like I can just walk up to him and ask him to sleep with me."

"Well," Kawamura coughed, straightening himself up. "Usually these types of things are not asked. It just happens. You know… get into the mood. You start with kissing, and then a few stray touches, afterwards, boom! You're in bed."

"I know that," Wataru uttered with a downcast gaze. "We kiss a lot, and there are stray touches, but we never move beyond that. It's like it's something forbidden."

"……"

"Is it normal?"

"Well, it's normal to have urges."

"I meant _me_. Is it normal for me to want it? I mean, every time I see him, every time we touch, I start feeling hot. It's worse when we kiss. I want to do more, but I don't know how to tell him."

_Now how do I respond to that?_ Kawamura groaned. _What on earth have I gotten myself into?_ "Usually, it's mutual between partners. Has he been acting funny recently?"

"I don't know. I'm too concerned with my own actions to even notice someone else's."

"…Then you'll have to consider the fact that Kazuki might not be interested."

Wataru's expression sank even further. Kawamura felt like he had just said something taboo. He was hoping he was wrong though, about Kazuki not being interested. But then again, he didn't really know anything about the guy except for the reputation he had in school.

_Still,_ he thought. _I am giving advice to my best friend who is a boy about having sex with his lover who is also a boy_. _I need a girlfriend._

--

The Ryokuyo Festival offered a very good distraction for Wataru concerning his frustrations regarding Kazuki. With the preparations to their booth, costumes, and the actual service, it was enough to make him forget about a few things. He had also well enough managed to avoid the older boy for an entire week as long as the festival went on. He always gave the excuse that he was busy helping out, or he was too tired to meet up, or something like that. But each time he gave a lie, his lips quivered and he could sense the confusion in Kazuki's eyes.

He felt terrible for lying, but it was the only way to fight back the growing urges his body had. Each time he got within three feet of the man, his body felt extremely hot that it felt not even ice could cool him down. There were occasions when they met in the hallway or in one of the booths—Kazuki often visited their ice cream parlor. Whenever he went about with work, he could feel Kazuki's eyes on him. He never returned the glances; he couldn't risk exposing more of his emotions. And that's how it went for the rest of the week.

And so the final day of the festival came. Ryokuyo always closed the festival with fireworks later that evening, and a dance and, of course, the ever favorite "Mister and Miss Ryokuyo" contest, which was pretty much determined by a person's popularity. "Kazuki-senpai is sure to win again this year," Wataru heard one of the girls speak. "He's been winning two years in a row. Surely, he'll win again."

"Absolutely!" her companion exclaimed. "There's no one who can beat Kazuki-senpai. But I was thinking… who'll be this year's Miss Ryokuyo?"

"Do you think Mai-chan as a chance of winning?"

"Tachibana? Well, she's the prettiest girl in class, but I think Ookusa will win."

"You don't mean Ookusa Miho from the first years, do you?"

"I heard that she's a real beauty. Almost like a female Kazuki-senpai. All the guys are going gaga for her."

"Eh? Kazuki-senpai and Ookusa? No! Even if it's just a contest, I don't want to see him with anyone else!"

Wataru sighed as he cleaned up the recently vacated table, gathering the empty glasses and cups on to the tray. Kazuki's popularity was insane! Even with all the commotion caused by their rings, the guy's strong fan-base was totally unaffected. They were rattled, of course, but they're as strong as ever. Wataru momentarily pondered what it would mean if the girls found out his relationship with their idol.

_That's a silly thought._

It was sunset and the night was fast approaching. Most of the booths and stalls had already closed, while the outdoor event was being set up. As expected, many of the students were cleaning up and preparing themselves for the grand closing.

As Wataru took down the streamers that hung above their classroom's door, he could see Kazuki chatting with another senior just by the stairs. They seemed to be very engrossed in their conversation. Kazuki's serious face is really something that Wataru rarely saw since the guy seemed to be much more relaxed around him. Watching from afar and seeing this different side of Kazuki made the strings of Wataru's heart vibrate to a new rhythm. Was there anything in this world much more perfect than Kazuki?

Perhaps by sheer chance, Kazuki turned his head and caught sight of Wataru. Their gazes met again, and as Kazuki was about to wave 'hello' at him, the younger boy turned his head to the side, resumed detaching the streamers and rushed back into the room to store them. Kazuki frowned at the reaction given to him. He wanted to go over there and speak to the boy, but more and more people kept approaching him about different matters that he pretty much didn't care.

_I don't care if I'm nominated or winning for Mister Ryokuyo_, he mentally complained. But questions and requests kept piling up that he sighed and resigned to just speaking with Wataru later. And when he does, he'll definitely give him a piece of his mind. It was bad enough that they've been having a couple of awkward episodes with each other, but totally ignoring his presence was another thing! He curled one hand into a fist as he thought of things he shouldn't be thinking—things that made his body turn hot.

Wataru kept all the streamers into the large cardboard box that had funny labels all over it. His cheeks were terribly flushed, and he felt a cold sweat running down the back of his neck. _What happened back there?_ All he did was lock eyes with Kazuki and all of a sudden his body went through different stages of heat. He had gone through a week of abstinence—meaning not seeing Kazuki—to get his hormones in check, and yet all it took was one glance to make his system go haywire.

_This is ridiculous!_ He scolded himself. _Why am I the only one troubling over this? Does this mean I'm the only one who wants it? _But then again, they've been together for only three months. Surely, these things need more time to develop. There's no hurry; they'll just take their time. _But… is it really wrong to want to be touched by the one you love so badly? Do Kazuki and I even properly love each other?_

He shook those unnecessary thoughts out of his head, and tried to resume his work. He could still hear the excited chatter from his classmates, and more and more students eventually finished their work and flooded out into the field, eagerly expecting the night's activities.

--

"Wataru, hurry up or we'll be late!" Kawamura called, urging his friend to finish his work faster.

"Just a minute," Wataru replied as he finished taping up the final box of decorations. He gave his friend the signal that he's done, smiling in content with himself. "We can go now," he said, ushering the other boy out the door.

As they walked down the hallway, they could hear the loud echoing of the gong, signaling the beginning of the night's festivities. Not wanting to miss the preliminary fireworks, they hastened their pace, skipping a few steps as they ran down the stairs.

When they reached the final flight of stairs, they had completely forgotten about the loose step that had needed fixing since the start of the school year. As they hurriedly strode down the steps, Wataru slipped on to that loose tile, and he ended up falling forward and sliding down the stairs in a very painful manner.

"Wataru!" Kawamura yelled, catching up to his friend, and immediately checking up on him. "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Wataru groaned in pain as he sat up, feeling the back of his spine ache a bit. "Yeah," he slurred. "I… I think I'm okay."

"What's going on?" a stern voice from the corner called to them. They turned their heads to find Kazuki standing there looking rather surprised and very worried. "Wataru? What happened here?" He ran over to their side and knelt down beside the young boy. He touched Wataru's arm to help him up, but the boy visibly flinched and shrugged his hand away. Kazuki frowned at the reaction, completely not expecting it from his lover.

"I-It's nothing," Wataru said, lowering his head and avoiding eye contact with the older boy. "I just tripped and fell. No harm done." He felt his heart pounding against his chest, making his entire body tingly. Feelings that he had fought back for an entire week were returning and consuming him.

With Kawamura's help, he was able to get to his feet. There was an uneasy tension lingering in the air, and Kawamura felt caught in the middle of it. "Um…" he drawled. "Well, we should get going otherwise we'll miss the fireworks."

Just as Wataru thought that he had finally settled himself down, he felt a strong grip on his arm, and the next thing he knew, he was scooped up into Kazuki's powerful arms. "Wha—?" he yelped in surprise at the feeling of being held that tight. "Kazuki, put me down!" The older boy ignored his pleas and instead turned his attention to his friend. "Go ahead to the courtyard," he instructed. "I'll just take him to the infirmary."

He left no room for argument, and stomped off with Wataru over his shoulder. Kawamura just watched, speechless, and praying for his friend's safety.

--

"Kazuki, I'm serious!" Wataru whined. "Put me down! There's nothing wrong with me! I can walk!" He struggled to free himself from the man's grasp, but the more he did, the tighter he was held on to. He wanted to get away… before his body betrayed him. _Damn it_, he cursed. The feel of Kazuki's skin against his was scorching him to the bone. Just by that mere contact, he felt his temperature rise, and his heart was practically banging against his ribcage. There's no way Kazuki could not hear or feel something like that!

The door to the infirmary rattled open and, as expected, the place was deserted due to the event happening outside. Wataru felt anxious at the thought of being left alone with him. "S-See? No one here," he muttered. "Now put me down. We should get to the courtyard or else we'll miss your grand win of Mister Ryokuyo."

His nervousness apparently hit a nerve in Kazuki, because as soon as he had uttered those words, he was thrown to the bed; its metal springs squeaking loudly at the sudden weight. Kazuki grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer until their faces were only centimeters apart. There was anger and annoyance reflected in those ice-blue orbs, but also something else… something he couldn't put his finger on.

Was it… passion…?

"Enough already!" the older boy shouted as the bed squeaked again due to another added weight. "This is driving me insane. Just cut it out!"

Wataru was puzzled, and was about to ask what he meant, but was stunned to silence by the hot and searing kiss his mouth became occupied with. His eyes widened with further surprise as he was pushed back down on to the bed; their bodies sinking deep into the mattress. Wataru's mind blanked out. He had no idea what was going on, but this surge of emotion coursing through his veins was in complete control of his body. Kazuki's kiss also felt strange. It wasn't the same gentle and lovable kind that he had grown accustomed to. No, this one had ferocity, aggressiveness, and mind-numbing passion.

What on earth brought this about?

Wataru answered his lover's kisses with his own, struggling for dominance of their mouths. Their breaths felt hot on each other's skin, and little space was left for them to even breathe. "K-Kazuki," he wheezed; a rare opportunity for him to speak as his mouth was reclaimed with more vigor. Somewhere in between the torrid kissing, he felt hands slipping underneath his shirt; touching him in places he wasn't normally touched. Their silver rings felt cold against their heated skin.

From below the courtyard, they could hear the emcee calling everyone's attention to the podium. But both boys weren't a bit interested in whatever was to take place. The need to breathe caused them to temporarily cease their tongue-fest, but now that they gazed into each other's eyes, they only saw their own reflection and no other.

Kazuki descended on him again, nipping at his neck, leaving a trail of saliva that enticed his skin. Wataru shuddered and gasped in surprise at the feel of Kazuki's knee rubbing against his crotch. "W-Wait, Kazuki…" he struggled to speak. Things were happening a bit too fast that it barely registered in his head. "K-Kazuki, stop…" His protest held no resolve, and his hands made no real effort to push the taller boy off of him.

"Stop it. You want this too, right?" Kazuki said, not even ceasing his actions. "How long do you think I've endured? How many times have I allowed you to run from me—escape me? Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

"Eh?" Wataru was dumbstruck with that statement. Did that mean what he thought it meant? Did that mean that Kazuki also… "Does that mean…" he voiced his thoughts, but for some reason, is throat felt dry, and his vision was blurry. "You want me too?"

Kazuki smiled, seeing the emotion flicker in his lover's eyes. "Right from the moment we kissed in the park, surrounded by hydrangeas… I've already wanted to make you mine. But I didn't know if you were ready or if you wanted it. So I kept silent about it and avoided touching you as much as possible. But I can't. I keep losing control. And this is the last bit of restraint I have."

"……"

"Wataru, I love you."

It seemed like those were the only words he needed to hear, because he completely surrendered himself to the man, not having any second thoughts of it whatsoever.

--

The bed squeaked with every bit of movement they made. Their clothes lay on the tiled floor, discarded and forgotten due to the heat of the moment—Kazuki undressing Wataru, and Wataru undressing Kazuki. The atmosphere in the room became hot and cloudy; a distinct scent lingering in the air. The sound of their lips smacking together, tongues meshing with one another, echoed in every corner and crevice.

"Kazuki…" Wataru wheezed as he was showered with kisses in every part of his body. He shuddered at the feel of his lover's hardened length rubbing against his inner thigh. "That's enough… Please…" he uttered with heavy breaths. "I… I want you…"

Kazuki smiled, extremely liking the situation. "Then I'll go in now…" he whispered as he parted Wataru's legs. He pushed himself forward and entered the young boy, feeling the tight heat surround him. "Wataru…" he moaned, pushing further until he was all the way in. "Ugh… Wataru…"

"Ha…" the young boy winced in pain at the thick intrusion. He clawed at the sheets, bracing himself and adjusting to the size. "Ka…Kazuki…"

"Wataru, are you okay…"

"Y…Yeah…"

Kazuki connected their lips once again as he gave one gentle thrust. Wataru gasped as he felt his lover hit something in him that sent waves of pleasure up his spine. Kazuki did it again, this time with a much stronger thrust, and he moaned out loud the ecstasy he was feeling. They clasped their hands together, feeling their rings turn hotter than their own bodies. Sweat slicked their bodies like morning dew, causing the sheets to stick to their skin.

It felt hot.

Kazuki claimed confidence with every thrust, driving it harder and deeper into his willing lover. The springs continued to squeak in pain as the bed was violently rocked by the two intimately locked bodies. Both boys were lost in their own world. Nothing else mattered but satisfying this animal instinct within them. What their hearts have yearned, their bodies have come to yearn as well. And tonight, they would satisfy it all.

"Kazuki… I love you…" Wataru groaned in broken verses, but meant every single word. Kazuki acknowledged his lover's profession by thrusting in deeper, their voices joining in the never-ending gasps and moans of pleasure. The intensity of their pace grew and Wataru had to hold on to the headboard for support. All the while, his mind kept focusing on the heat and its addictive sensation.

Outside, the fireworks lit up the sky, exploding into different arrays of colors. The cheers from the crowd below were loud and joyous. But none of the sights and sounds reached the two lovers as they were completely engrossed in each other's taste and scent.

--

Kawamura curled up against the foot of the door, hugging his knees and crying bitter tears. "Damn these two…" murmured in a low voice. "Of all places, they decide to do it here! Don't they even know the commotion going on outside?" He had heard the announcement that Kazuki is yet again this year's "Mister Ryokuyo", while "Miss Ryokuyo" goes to Ookusa Miho. As per tradition, the winners go on stage and light up the first fireworks that would explode in the sky. However, Kazuki did not make an appearance on stage, which caused a lot of negative reactions from the girls.

"Kazuki Yuichi…" Kawamura grumbled. "Sheesh! If any of the people outside decide to search for him in the school, what'll happen if one of them happens to look in the infirmary? Be happy that I'm willing to be a look-out—even though my virgin ears have been corrupted with man-sex. Wataru definitely owes me big time!!" He grunted as he covered his ears and tried to block out the sounds that leaked out the door.

Tomorrow, the climate would change, signaling the approach of fall and the nearing end of summer. The heat will pass, but it will come again, stronger than before.

* * *

End.

--

Okay, as always, a review is much appreciated.

Oikora models are pictures of celebrities' faces pasted on to nude bodies… or so I've heard.

As for my next OTRFK story, I will leave the polls open 'till the end of January. The sequel is winning in the polls, but Empty White Canvas is also gaining. I haven't counted the votes of the non-members of FF, so it's kind of a neck-to-neck fight. XD

I wanted to reply to Billy regarding some concerns about Empty Canvas. Some of the other readers might also have this concern. It's about Wataru wearing a dress and pretending to be a girl. Okay, I'll say this. Wataru cross-dressing and pretending to be his sister may be important and relevant to the story, but it's really just a minor part the same way Wataru actually pretending to be Asaka's lover was a minor part of the Untouched Ring. When I say "minor", I mean the entire story won't involve Wataru actually pretending to be a girl. As much as I would like to tell all of you how it goes, I can't since it would spoil the entire story. Of course, Asaka, Shohei and even Mizuho will also be present in the story.

Anyway, like I said earlier, the polls will be kept open until the last day of January. So for those of you who haven't voted yet, there's still time to vote. The summary for the sequel and Empty White Canvas is in the last chapter of _The Untouched Ring_.

Also, help me decide on the title for the Untouched Ring's sequel. I'm struggling between _Pursuit of Happiness_, and _Endless Summer_ or _Never Ending Summer_.

…And I need someone willing to beta. Any volunteers?


	3. Secret Valentine

Happy Valentines to everyone! And what better way to celebrate this day of hearts than with our favorite couple? I present to you the third story for **Rings of Promises**! Clap your hands everyone!!

Anyway, I must apologize for the delay for **Endless Summer**. I've been rather busy that I've barely even finished chapter one! Haven't reached half, actually… I truly am sorry for this… which is why I am searching for someone to beta my works. I thank those who have applied; I'm sorry too for taking too long to reply. Like I said, I'm busy. If all goes well, I might have the next chapter up by next week. That's a big "**IF**".

Read and review everyone.

**Disclaimer:** _Only the Ring Finger Knows_ does not belong to me. It belongs to Kannagi Satoru and to all its proper copyrights.

**Rings of Promise** is a collection of various, unrelated one-shots that are inspired by the OTRFK series. The stories could be before or in-between the novels. It could even be AU-ish in some ways. The ratings may vary per chapter, so look out for the rating.

**Chapter Summary:** Kazuki detests Valentines' Day because of the attention and amount of chocolates he receives from his adoring fans. But since he has a lover, perhaps there is something about this year's Valentines that he could look forward to. But why is Wataru being so secretive? Worse, why is he with Ookusa Miho??!

**Rating:** General

**

* * *

**

RINGS OF PROMISE

**Third Story: Secret Valentine**

* * *

The sound of giggling girls and the sight of bright red cards posted on the walls was a constant reminder of what Kazuki would be expecting in the next few days. Each time he passed the culinary class, he could smell the aroma of brewing chocolate along with the sweet scent of vanilla. Valentines Day is coming.

"Another haul, eh Kazuki?" Yukimura, his classmate, asked; commenting on the pile of love letters on the boy's desk. "Man, what I wouldn't give to be as popular as you… It must be neat to have all the girls' attention."

"…And what I wouldn't give to be rid of it," Kazuki sighed as he brought out a big plastic bag and shoved all the letters into it. "It's because of this that I've come to dread Valentines, Christmas, and even my birthday."

"Most guys would love that attention. Besides, it gives you a chance to find someone you really like."

Kazuki focused his gaze on the shining silver ring on his finger. That's right… this would be his first Valentines Day with Wataru. Although they had only been together for a few months, they had well enough taken their relationship to the next level. And he had to say, for the very first time, he was rather excited about Valentines.

"Looks like you've got somebody to spend Valentines with," Yukimura cooed, noticing the large grin that appeared on his classmate's face. "I guess you really _do_ have a girlfriend. All along, I thought that ring was just a ruse to throw those girls off."

"Er… yeah…" he drawled in response. Wataru's not a girl so he couldn't be called his girlfriend, although, it still works the same way… position-wise.

"She gonna give you chocolates?"

"Chocolates?"

Never thought of that… They're not exactly a normal couple by society's claim, so would Wataru give him chocolates the same way any girl would? But Wataru _isn't_ a girl. The idea sounds silly still, but he had to admit, he really wouldn't mind receiving such sentimental treats from the young boy.

--

Kazuki tapped his fingers on the wooden table. He kept glancing at his wrist-watch every now and then, and in front of him was a half-drunken latte—his third cup. "Where is he?" he grumbled. "He's late." This strangely gave him the sense of déjà vu.

The sound of the door bell reached his ears. He lifted his gaze a bit and smiled at the sight of his boyfriend panting and sweating as if he had just finished running a marathon. He leaned back on the back-rest and crossed hi arms, feigning to look upset. "Wataru," he spoke dryly. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Wataru bowed his head apologetically and dragged his feet towards the table. "I know… I'm late… Thirty minutes late… But I have a good reason…"

"Well, let's hear it…"

Wataru took a seat opposite him, biting his lip as he did so. "Well, you see… uhm…" he uttered hesitantly. "I, uh… got called by the teacher again."

"About your grades?"

"Y-Yeah! About my grades!"

Kazuki blinked, and then exploded into fits of laughter. "As always… you really need to study more," he said. "I could tutor you, you know."

"Eh?" Wataru drawled. He was sure that Kazuki would be mad at him, but instead he had laughed and even offered to tutor him. "Are you sure it's okay?"

"Of course. What kind of lover would I be to let you fail? Besides, my college exams are just about done. I've got some free time."

"Thanks," the younger boy smiled as if a load had been lifted from his chest.

Kazuki found him inexplicably adorable that he couldn't resist leaning towards him and giving him a kiss. Wataru turned different shades of red and quickly pulled away, covering his mouth as he did so. "K-Kazuki!" he exclaimed. "What if someone saw that?!"

"No one's here," he grinned. "I'm much more careful than that." He settled back on the chair and licked his lips. As he did so, he swore he could taste the distinct flavor of vanilla.

--

"Kazuki-senpai, please accept these!!!" three girls chorused, and presented him with three equally large bags of chocolates. "We know it's not yet Valentines Day but… do please consider it."

If Kazuki could only glare, he would have. Receiving presents from his fans had become a normal thing. But ever since he had gotten together with Wataru, he stopped accepting gifts no matter the occasion. But this didn't stop them from still trying to win his affections. Worse, some of them would pull off the "distressed damsel" act in hopes of winning him over with their tears.

"Sorry," he stated plainly. "It's flattering, but I cannot accept them."

"But… why?"

_Here it comes_, he thought. To avoid any more of those repetitive scenarios, he composed himself in a way a model student should, and gave the usual speech. "I know how much hard work and effort you ladies put into making these. But I'm afraid I really can't accept them. I don't like sweets very much, and I have made it a point to not accept anymore presents of any kind."

"Eh? So Kazuki-senpai _does_ have a girlfriend?"

"No way. Is she prettier than us?"

"Can't you at least make one exception?"

If there was anything worse than pretending to be a victimized girl, it would be making herself appear as the most beautiful maiden on the face of the planet. Kazuki had already seen and heard all sorts of excuses and rebuttals, and this one was nothing new to him. "I'm sorry," he said solemnly. "I really cannot accept them because I do not wish to cause any misunderstandings nor do I wish to give the impression that there is still chance. So if you please…"

The girls looked at their bags of treats mournfully. Their eyes became moist with tears as they bowed their heads and scurried away. Kazuki breathed a heavy sigh, expecting many more in the coming days.

"That was a very smooth move, Kazuki-san," a familiar voice said. He whipped his head around to find Ookusa Miho looking smug and greatly amused. "I guess more hearts will be broken this week."

"Ookusa," he said dryly. "What are you doing here?" After the fiasco concerning the rings a few months ago, he didn't really find her presence very comforting. She was different from other girls, but not because he liked her or anything like that. It's because, somehow, Wataru had become the object of her affection. She is, in a certain way, his rival; although his own pride would never allow him to admit that he was jealous of a girl.

"I came here to submit a few documents to Suzuki-sensei," she answered promptly. "I just came back from his homeroom class, but I didn't expect to see the first of what would be a barrage of heartbroken girls. You could've at least accepted their chocolates as courtesy. They worked hard on it."

"Well, it's troublesome," he muttered. "If I accept then they'll expect something from me on White Day. Might as well save myself all the trouble and just decline."

"Really?" she perked, and stood on her tip toes to look Kazuki directly in the eye. "So it's not that you don't have a liking to sweets after all? Hm…?"

Kazuki scowled at the close proximity the girl had. There was something about this girl that he definitely did not like, not to mention her perfume smelled rather… odd yet familiar. He didn't like that sly grin and that mischievous sparkle in her eyes. It gave him the feeling that she knows something he doesn't, and that bothered him. Miho gave another cute smile, and turned to leave, flashing him a peace-sign with her fingers as she did so.

"Oh, and Kazuki-san," she added. "When you see Fujii-kun, please tell him that I can't make it on time because of club activity. But I'll definitely be there later so just have him wait for me, okay?"

"Eh?"

"I would tell him myself, but I can't seem to get a hold of him. He's not answering his cell, and he's not at his classroom. So just pass that message to him, okay? Thanks a lot, Kazuki-san."

Kazuki watched as the younger girl skipped away, humming a happy tune. The rhythm echoed in ears, and he subconsciously clenched his hands into tight fists. He definitely did _not_ like what had happened. Since when were Wataru and Miho in contact with each other again? Better yet, since when did they even get the chance to exchange numbers? And what were they doing meeting up with each other?

He wasn't the suspicious type especially when he deeply trusted his young lover. But what he can't shake from his mind was Miho's perfume. Either it was just him, or it oddly smelled like vanilla.

--

It was lunch break, and Kawamura was sitting comfortably in his chair, getting ready to partake in his lunch, but the smell of sweet chocolates filled his nostrils that he felt enthralled by it. "Chocolates," he drooled. "It's that time of year again." He idly wondered if he would get chocolates this year. For as far back as he can remember, he had never received any chocolates on Valentines Day before. Well, he received some from his relatives and from Wataru (as a sort of pity-gift), but none from an actual girl. Was he destined to remain single for the rest of his life?

As he was swept away in his own tears, he heard a commotion made by the girls. Apparently, there was something—or someone, rather—at the door. But for it to make all the girls swoon with glee? It had to be one person and one person alone.

Kazuki Yuichi.

True enough, he caught sight of the model-student as soon as the girls cleared his view. The guy seemed like he was looking for something… probably Wataru. Kawamura sighed again. Even though the famous Kazuki Yuichi was dating his best friend, he still couldn't quite stand the guy; not in a negative manner, but it's just that he always felt uneasy and totally out of place around him. He got up, dragged his feet towards the door, and squeezed in between the squealing horde of girls.

"Excuse me," he squeaked. _This is probably the only moment I've ever been this close to a girl._ As soon as he made it out of the room, he called for the older boy's attention, away from the curious fans. "Is there something you need, Kazuki-senpai?"

"You're… Wataru's friend…" the senior said as if struggling to find a name.

Kawamura cried bitter tears in his mind. _You still don't know me? My name isn't that hard to remember, is it? Then again… when I first met Wataru, it took him two months before he finally got my name right. Sure that was in kindergarten, but still…_

"Anyway," Kazuki continued. "Where's Wataru? I need to speak to him."

"He's not here right now," he answered promptly. "He's off… doing something…"

"…Like what?"

"Sorry, can't tell. It's been told under strict confidence between best friends. And that is a territory that not even boyfriends are allowed to enter."

As soon as the words slipped out, Kawamura slapped his mouth close as if he had just said something forbidden. He quivered a bit under Kazuki's gaze, and never had he felt so small before. This is definitely one of the reasons why he doesn't like Kazuki Yuichi that much.

"Whatever," said Kazuki, brushing the other's comment aside. "Just tell Wataru that Ookusa won't be there on time because of club activities, but she'll definitely be there."

"Eh?" Kawamura blinked. There's no way Kazuki would have known about it, right? Wataru had even specifically said to not mention anything to Kazuki, so why does he know? "I don't get it… Why would Ookusa ask you… She knows that Wataru doesn't want…"

"Doesn't want… what?"

"I mean, it's strange. She's with Wataru now, so why would she…. Oops…"

Realizing that he had, again, said too much, he covered his mouth with his hands, mumbling all sorts of incoherent and stupid things. But, nevertheless, what has been said was already heard. It was enough to pique Kazuki's interests to certain degrees.

"Wataru is with Ookusa now? Where?"

"…I don't know," Kawamura gave a muffled response.

"What doesn't he want me to know?"

"…I don't know either."

"_Why_ is he with Ookusa?"

"…I… I don't know!!" Kawamura yelled and ran back to the classroom, not even stopping to look back.

Kazuki frowned and bit his lip in aggravation. What was going on?! He understood that even Wataru would have secrets from him, but not the type that actually involved him! He also didn't like the fact that this so-called secret once again concerns Ookusa Miho. He hadn't forgotten that little fiasco she had caused a few months ago. And the more he thought about it, the more upset he became.

_Shoot it!_ He snapped. If he couldn't find him anywhere, he could always call him. And with that, he pulled out his cell phone and proceeded to hit the speed-dial for Wataru's number. It rang a couple of times, of which he impatiently tapped his foot, and he soon heard his boyfriend's voice answering.

"Hello, Kazuki?" the boy answered, although there was something in his voice that seemed… strange.

"Wataru? Where are you?" the ice in his voice was becoming clear. He tried to remain calm as much as possible—make it seem like an ordinary conversation, but when he heard the sound of Miho's voice in the background, he saw red.

"Uhm… w-why? Is it important?" Why was there hesitance in Wataru's voice?

"Do I need a reason to want to see you? Where are you?" He swore he could hear giggling in the background. Oh, how that made his blood boil.

"S-Sorry. Not right now, Kazuki. I'm a little busy," Wataru stuttered.

"With what?!" he snapped. "Are you being too busy to even come and see your own boyfriend?"

Okay, that may have been childish and a bit immature—both of which are not part of his character. But what the hell was going on? Hadn't he and Wataru promised one another to be honest? So what was all this secrecy going on behind his back?

When realization dawned on him on what he had just said, he bit his lip and grunted with annoyance. _This is not like me_, he thought. "Wataru…" he spoke, calming himself down bit by bit. "Sorry for that… uhm… I just want to see you, okay? I…"

"I understand," the boy interrupted in a crisp manner. "You're feeling a bit stressed because Valentines is on Saturday, right? All the girls are bound to swarm up to you like flies. It's okay. I guess that's to be expected from someone like you."

"Wataru…"

"Don't be too rough on the girls, but don't be too nice either. I'll see you around then."

"What… Wataru…??"

"Good bye, Kazuki."

The next thing he heard was the busy dial tone. He had stood rooted on the spot for quite a while before things began to click in his head. Now could Wataru be upset with him? That's likely, judging from the boy's tone of voice. But what could he be upset about?

The way he saw it, if there's anyone who deserved to be upset, it was him—Kazuki. He couldn't get what this big need for secrecy is. And Miho's demeanor… She had told him on purpose to get on his nerves. She also made no effort to hide her presence when he spoke with Wataru. Just what game is she playing? And what the hell is going on?

--

"I can't believe you told him, Miho," Wataru ranted. "Now, he's definitely mad with me…"

"Oh, c'mon…" she shrugged. "He would never be mad at you. Furthermore, if only you've told him about this, there would be no need to sneak around like thieves."

"But… he probably thinks now that I'm having an illicit affair with you or something."

"Well, doesn't it seem that way?"

"What?!"

"Well, think about it. We're meeting in secret… no one knows we're here… and you're keeping it from your own lover. Doesn't it sound like we're having an affair?"

"……"

"Careful, Fujii-kun. You're spilling it."

"Eh?! N-No way… I couldn't finish again… aww… what a waste…"

"Don't worry. We'll just do it again."

"…Okay… Just for now… I'm at your complete mercy."

--

He isn't jealous.

He isn't possessive.

He isn't insecure.

Kazuki was certain that he wasn't any of those things. Despite what things seemed to imply, it's utterly unreasonable for Wataru to be somehow smitten by Miho's charms. Even the idea itself sounded stupid. Surely, there must be a reasonable, logical explanation for all of this.

But what?

He had tried to contact the boy again only to be transferred to voice mail. He tried leaving messages, but Wataru would always reply in cryptic meanings. He had even tried to meet up with him personally, but the younger boy always had an excuse, or at least made up a poor excuse, why he they couldn't meet.

Kazuki cursed his own popularity. If it had not been for the girls constantly bothering him, he would have stormed up to Wataru and demanded answers. But, as to be expected, the closer Valentines drew near, the more he was cornered, ambushed and trapped by his horde of adoring fans. He kept to his word, however, to not accept any gifts from anyone. And each time he gave his refusal, they all exploded into tears.

"You are such a heartbreaker this year," Yukimura commented with a whistle. "The last girl would've been the fiftieth, right? I really pity those girls though."

"Well, it's their fault for being so stubborn," Kazuki sulked; crossing his arms in an irritated manner. "I've already told them time and time again that I won't be accepting any presents of any kind—be it cards, love letters, chocolates, or whatever. I won't have any of it."

"Sheesh. You've been in a sour mood lately. What happened?"

"…None of your business."

Yukimura's eyes glinted, and a devious smile graced his lips. "Ah…" he said, raising his voice a bit to show amusement. "Trouble with your honey?"

Kazuki just stared at him blankly, but the hesitation in his eyes answered for him.

"I thought so," the other boy huffed. "Got in a quarrel, eh? It's probably not a big deal. After all, what girl in her right mind would dump you? And on Valentines?"

"……"

"Show a bit more positive attitude, Kazuki."

"…Right…"

It's going to be a long week.

--

"But Kazuki-senpai… I love you. Is there really no chance whatsoever?"

It was déjà vu, and it was making him feel awkward. A few months ago, he was in this very room, hearing the very same confession from the very same girl. And, shortly, he would be giving the very same answer he gave back then.

"I'm sorry, Tachibana. But no matter how much you ask of me, I cannot return your feelings."

"But…" Tachibana looked downcast. In her hands was a small bag filled with homemade chocolates carefully tied up with a frilly red bow. "Can't you at least accept these? I worked so hard to make them."

"I'm sorry. I can't accept them."

Tachibana's eyes began to well up with tears—a sight that he had seen before—but as always he remained unfazed. For the past week, he had seen similar scenarios. And now that it was Valentines Day itself, he really didn't expect it to be any different. If anything, he expected it to be much worse.

When he showed no signs of reconsideration, Tachibana gathered herself together, bowed, and took her leave, leaving a trail of sparkling tears as she did so. In all honesty, Kazuki had no idea for how long he could keep up with this. Ever since he came to school in the morning, he had been greeted with countless girls carrying bags of chocolates. And each time he let them down, it was quickly followed by waterfalls of tears.

"Oh, how I hate Valentines," he said under his breath.

He just had to hold out for a few more hours, afterward school would be out and he's home free! He honestly didn't know if he could take up any more of this attention. Apparently, the rumors circulating that he has a lover haven't completely died out. The ring on his finger kept those rumors alive, and each girl wanted confirmation and to steal him away from who ever it is that stole his heart.

_Like that is going to happen_, he mused.

He gathered his things and was about to leave the room when he looked out the window and saw, just by chance, Wataru in the courtyard. The boy was alone, which was odd. For as long as he's known the boy, Wataru would never be alone during breaks. He'd always be in the company of Kawamura or some of his other friends, but never alone. Not only that, he kept turning his head left and right as if he was waiting for someone.

Kazuki was about to call his attention when he heard a feminine voice call out the boy's name. Miho's figure later came into view, running towards Wataru. They talked for a while, and how he wished he could make out what they were saying. He next saw Wataru pick up his bag, and then… and then… Miho blocked his view of the boy. He couldn't see what was going on. He squirmed a bit, trying to get a perfect angle, and when Miho finally stepped out of the way, he saw Wataru holding a small white bag with a thin red string tied around it.

Was it… chocolates…?

He couldn't really tell… but what else could it be? Did Miho give them to Wataru? The two talked a bit more… Miho said something that made Wataru smile. He hugged her a bit, and she hugged back. Afterwards they separated, and Wataru placed the white bag into his school bag. He and Miho seemed to have some final words before going their separate ways.

What was that?

Kazuki didn't understand what happened. Did Miho _give_ Wataru Valentines Day chocolates? And did Wataru just _accept_ them? Not only that, he looked happy about it. The hug they both shared certainly informed Kazuki of their familiarity with one another. It means that they're no longer in the boundaries of being mere acquaintances. But when did this development start?

He could only think of one… All those times that Wataru had made up excuses, he already knew the boy was lying but he let it slide. He always believed that he would eventually tell him the truth when the time is right. But now, it has become clear to him that the reason Wataru is so evasive is because he is spending time with Miho. Perhaps that time in the café, when Wataru showed up late, which he blamed on his grades and Kazuki had been so kind to offer tutoring… perhaps even then he was already seeing Miho.

Kazuki clenched his fists and closed the windows. He gathered his things and exited the room, not wanting to see anymore.

--

The day had ended, and he was somehow able to survive it. Kazuki had dragged his feet all the way home, thrown his things on the floor and plopped down on his bed. He was tired and mentally exhausted. It took him every amount of self-restraint he had to not snap at anyone earlier, and surely if he met with someone now, he'd just lash out at them.

"Happy Valentines," he murmured with a hoarse tone.

He closed his eyes, hoping to take a nap or something to rest his weary body, but the sound of his cell phone ringing prevented him from doing so. With a grunt and sigh, he got up, extracted the phone from his bag and answered without even look at the name flashing on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Kazuki?"

His eyes widened with astonishment. "W-Wataru…?"

"What happened to you?" asked Wataru. "I couldn't meet up with you in school, and you didn't show up at the café."

"Huh?"

"Have you forgotten? We promised to go out on Valentines, right? We already planned it since December."

"Ah, yes I know that," Kazuki mumbled. He didn't forget; how could he? It's just there other things on his mind. "Are you still at the café?

"Uh, no. I'm on my way over to your place. Is it okay if I come over?"

"Well, my parents are home. Just meet me in the park."

"Okay. I'll be there in ten minutes."

And with that, he hung up. Kazuki took note of the time and went off to the meeting place. He was particularly interested what this was all about. He waited by the hydrangea bush, recalling that they had shared their first real kiss by those flowers. How he wished he could've snapped a picture of that precise moment; it's a memory that's meant to last.

In less than ten minutes, he saw the familiar sight of Wataru running towards him with haste. He had to admit, that he always liked watching the boy run to him; it somehow managed to wipe away all troubles and worries that plagued him at the moment. It was just one of the many things he would never tire of his young lover.

"Ka… Kazuki…" Wataru panted. "You could've called… told me you weren't coming…"

"Well, I tried," he said defensively. "But I just got voice mail. I keep getting that this week."

"Sorry," the younger boy answered sheepishly. "I've been very busy that I didn't have time. Sorry about that."

"Busy with what?" Kazuki couldn't resist asking.

Wataru's eyes sparkled and he flashed a bright smile. "Just a sec," he said and began to rummage through his bag for something. Kazuki watched him intently, but then he gasped in surprise at what he saw. "Wataru!" he exclaimed, grabbing hold of one of the boy's hands. "What happened?" All five fingers had bandages wrapped around them, and the palm had what looked like a burn-mark.

"This?" Wataru asked. "It's nothing. Just got careless… anyway…"

"Oh, enough of that!" Kazuki snapped and pushed him against a sturdy tree. He cornered him with his arms, making sure to look at him directly in the eye. "Do you have any idea how worried I am? First you go off being secretive, next you spend time with Miho, which is practically enough to drive me insane, and then you ignore my calls. And now I see this! What am I supposed to think?!"

Wataru blinked; speechless. But his eyes continued to sparkle softly. He reached into his bag again and pulled out the small white bag that Kazuki had seen earlier. With an honest smile and a soft gaze, he handed it over to the older boy, revealing both of his hands to be covered with bandages and burn-marks.

"Wataru… what…?"

"I know you said that you don't want to accept anymore gifts, but would you accept this? It's homemade chocolates."

"Homemade?" Kazuki couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Wataru, you know that I don't want any of it. Are you doing favors for girls again to pass gifts to me?"

"No!" he immediately responded. "I… I made these!"

"…What?"

Wataru bit his lip, and averted his gaze. His cheeks began to turn bright red, and his palms were turning sweaty. All of which were indications that he was embarrassed about something. "I… I made them…" he mumbled lowly that Kazuki had to lean closer to hear him.

"You… made them…?"

"…I thought… since it was Valentines, I should give you something. Since chocolates are traditional, I thought I'd go for that. But I wanted to make it special so I tried making them myself."

"……"

"I'm not very good at cooking… but I really wanted to try so I even refused Karin's offer to help. Unfortunately, the first batch didn't turn out too well."

"Wait…" Slowly he was getting the big picture. "How does Ookusa fit into all this?"

"I bumped into her when I was buying the ingredients. She offered to teach me. I had already refused Karin. If I go back to her and ask for her help, I'm sure I'll be saddled with more favors from her. So I accepted Miho's offer instead. She's been teaching me for the past few days now."

"Ookusa was teaching you…?"

"Yeah," Wataru beamed brightly. "In the beginning, I got everything wrong. I'd spill the milk, add too much vanilla, or make the chocolate too heavy. I even managed to burn it, and myself, a couple of times. But I finally got the hang of it."

"……"

"After that, she offered to wrap it for me. So, here they are. I hope you like them."

A small smile formed on Kazuki's lips as he looked at the bag of chocolates Wataru held in his hands. Relief and happiness began to flow into his body, like a tremendous weight was lifted from his chest. "You know, Wataru," he chuckled. "I'm not too fond of chocolates. So you'll have to force them down my throat."

Wataru caught the playful tone in his boyfriend's voice. He snickered as he opened the bag and pulled out one piece of chocolate. "Kazuki, you didn't think I was having cheating with Miho, were you?"

"Do I have to answer that?"

"Were you jealous?"

"What do you think?"

"Possessive?"

"Take a guess."

"Insecure?"

"Now that's pushing it."

Wataru held the chocolate in between his teeth as Kazuki leaned towards him, their faces about to touch. He licked the sweet treat first before engulfing it with his mouth, connecting his lips with Wataru's. At first he tasted chocolate followed by vanilla… and then he tasted Wataru's own unique flavor—a taste he most savored.

They stormed each other's mouths with their tongues, letting the chocolate melt away and wash down their throats. It was a sweet and intoxicating sensation. Even when the chocolate had already dissolved, they kept their lips locked one another, deepening their kisses.

When they both parted for air minutes later, they both had this glazed look in their eyes.

"How was it?" Wataru asked, panting.

"It was delicious," answered Kazuki. He picked up another chocolate from the bag and gently pushed it into his boyfriend's mouth. He leaned forward again, reconnecting their lips for another intoxicating kiss—clearly to be repeated until every piece had been consumed.

"Still don't like chocolates?" his young lover asked.

"Hm… well, I'm starting to like them," he answered, licking his lips. "Especially the way it's being eaten…"

Wataru sighed and relaxed himself in his lover's care. He'd let Kazuki have his way for now. After all, this means it's his turn to look forward to White Day.

* * *

End of Story

--

Happy Valentines to everyone! Yet, for single people like me, it's the time of year that reminds me I will grow old as a maid and die a virgin. XD Just kidding…

I'm thinking of writing next an Asaka-centered fic. We rarely have Asaka-centered stories here, so I want to make one.

Sorry again for the delay for **Endless Summer**. Hopefully, I'll be able to get it done by next week and then send it to beta. Please just bear with me, okay?

Now, reviews are greatly appreciated so please don't forget to leave one!


	4. Love Surprise

I prostrate myself before my readers for my lack of update to Endless Summer. I do apologize that it's taking a long while… Work has been killing me. It certainly doesn't help whenever I get callers whose first act is to curse, cuss and take personal offense against me when all I've done so far is ask "How may I help you?" Sheesh… I may be with customer service, but no representative would be willing to help if the customer's idea of words of gratitude is "f**k you".

Sorry, I'm beginning to rant here, huh? Well, like I said, I do apologize for the lack of update. Instead, I decided to update Rings of Promise. I don't want anyone to think I've forgotten about this. It seems that I've also been struck with writer's block regarding Endless Summer. I already have an outline and a clear idea of what happens, I just have to piece them together, and that's what's bugging me.

Well, enjoy this new installment for now. Read and review, guys!

**Disclaimer:** _Only the Ring Finger Knows_ does not belong to me. It belongs to Kannagi Satoru and to all its proper copyrights.

**Rings of Promise** is a collection of various, unrelated one-shots that are inspired by the OTRFK series. The stories could be before or in-between the novels. It could even be AU-ish in some ways. The ratings may vary per chapter, so look out for the rating.

**Chapter Summary:** Wataru knows that Kazuki is up to something but he doesn't know what. He knows his boyfriend has been rather frustrated lately that they are unable to make love due to many disturbances. It is even more disturbing when he hears that Kazuki was seen rendezvousing with an older woman in an apartment complex!

**Rating:** T

**

* * *

**

RINGS OF PROMISE

**Fourth Story: Love Surprise**

* * *

"Mmph… Kazuki stop…" Wataru mumbled as he tried to push his lover away.

"Why? You want this, right?" Kazuki said and pushed the young boy down on the bed, entangling themselves in the sheets. He descended on him again, reconnecting their lips and exploring every inch of that lithe body with his hands. He could feel the temperature rising from the feather-light touches of his fingertips. Their breaths became ragged as a new kind of heat began to pool at the pit of their stomachs. Heat that was growing… and growing… and growing…

"I said stop!" Wataru hissed, and shoved his boyfriend away, leaving them at arm's distance of one another. "I told you we can't! My parents are just downstairs! They'll definitely hear us!"

Kazuki clicked his tongue and got off his lover. He straightened out the wrinkles from his shirt while Wataru tried to button his. The blonde watched from the corner of his eye those delicate fingers as it fidgeted with the buttons. Beneath it was skin so rich and inviting; it was enough to make anyone drool. Those delectable curves… that soft and warm sensation…

When Wataru lifted his eyes to meet his gaze, he turned his away. The dark-eyed boy drooped his shoulders. He was feeling the exact same thing his blond lover was feeling. It had been how many months since they had last made love. That time back in September after Kazuki got his exam results was the first and only time. Ever since then, they had an agreement that next time, they'd let things take its own course. But even so, it became extremely difficult to get in the mood.

For one thing, they had varying schedules, and they could only meet up in public places. The last time they did it, it was in Kazuki's house, but his parents weren't there at the time. They had attempted to do so again a week after Halloween, but Kazuki's parents had walked in on them, nearly catching them in the act. It was a good thing they still had their clothes on; they made it look as if they were only wrestling. But still; that close-call blocked that place out of the list.

They had hoped that the holidays would be much more fruitful, but they were both obligated to spend it with their families. Valentines approached, and still no luck—much thanks to the horde of fan girls that continuously stalked Kazuki to his grave.

A new school term would soon begin, and Kazuki would be graduating. They both wondered when would be the next time that they'll be able to hold each other in their arms.

"You know…" Kazuki murmured. "We could do it on the floor instead."

"Huh?"

"I mean, the bed would just make too much noise, wouldn't it? So… on the floor…"

"No, thanks," Wataru interrupted. "The floor's too hard. Even _I_ know I'd be walking funny after that. So no way…"

Kazuki combed through his hair with his fingers, brushing away his bangs and giving a clearer view of his face. It was not a normal gesture that he would do every now and then, but Wataru knew it was something the older boy does when he was frustrated or trapped in a corner.

"The reason why we came to your house in the first place is…" he breathed with a sigh.

"…I know," the younger boy interrupted again. "But how was I supposed to know that my parents would come home early? They specifically told me that they'd be working late. Even Karin was supposed to be at a sleep over. And after that, they insisted on you staying for dinner and…"

"We climbed up to your room to get some privacy, or to their knowledge: _study_. But we ended up not doing it—_again_."

"Sorry…"

Wataru could tell that his boyfriend was having one of those bad moods. But he really couldn't blame him. Even he, himself, had become quite anxious. At night, he would sometimes find himself dreaming of things that he normally wouldn't dream of, and his mind would wander off to that one September evening when he and his lover finally consummated their relationship. Just thinking of how close they were but unable to do it made him sullen. And he must've looked that way too because Kazuki stretched out his hand and draped it around his head.

"Oi," the older boy said so gently. "Don't make a face like that otherwise I really won't be able to control myself—regardless of whether your family is here or not."

Wataru blushed to his ears, and slapped both his cheeks with his hands. "I-I'm not making any kind of face. Really, Kazuki… you just love making fun of me."

Kazuki chuckled and leaned forward to place a gentle and innocent kiss on the young boy's forehead. It might not be the same kind of touch they were both looking forward to, but it will do for now.

--

"So in other words… nothing happened," Kawamura said as he inserted coins into the vending machine and pressed the button for the soda he wanted.

"Nothing," replied Wataru as he stared down at his feet, watching a line of ants parading its way around him.

"If it's that much of a bother, why not just go to a hotel or something?" the other boy asked, drinking from his can of soda. "I mean, no one asks questions in those places."

"Yeah, but we can't go there!" Wataru blushed furiously. "A hotel?? Come on, we're in uniform and it's broad daylight. That's just too scandalous. And besides, Kazuki's pretty well-known in this area…"

"But he'll be graduating soon, right? It's almost April… How many days do you think will be left? He'll be in college, and not just any college, but Tokyo University!! It'll become even harder for you guys to meet because of the varying schedules."

"I… I know…" he stammered. "That's why we're making the most of it by meeting up as much as we can."

"So why aren't you meeting him now?"

"……"

"Wataru…?"

"Got a text message from him… says he'll be out with his family all night. Really can't be helped…"

"Yeah…" Kawamura drawled as he took another sip while staring at his friend from the corner of his eye. "But Wataru… you look like you really want to go…"

Wataru closed his eyes and let those words sink in. The last time his friend had said them, they ended up going to the practice game between Ryokuyo and another school, which Kazuki was playing in as a reliever. At that time, it wasn't his intention to get mixed up with Kazuki regarding any matter whatsoever, but the strong pull of the older boy's charm and charisma was too overwhelming. There was just something about him that no one could ignore. Whatever it was, it kept calling to him like a siren.

"Wataru…?"

"I guess…" he spoke, coming out of his reverie. "Even if I can't spend the day with him, I at least want to see his face. Has he really become that addicting?"

"From your point of view, I guess… But it's pretty amazing that he hasn't gotten tired of this yet…"

"Tired…? What do you mean?"

Kawamura immediately slapped his mouth shut as if he had said something forbidden. "I didn't mean anything by that. Forget I even mentioned it."

"No, seriously, Kawamura. What is it?"

Kawamura grimaced and looked as if he would absolutely come to regret this decision. He took a huge gulp from the soda can and turned to his friend with a face of absolute seriousness. "The thing is," he started. "I heard this rumor… well, it's still just a rumor; it was never confirmed, but… I heard that Kazuki was seen with a woman a few weeks ago."

"…A woman?"

"Well, this woman looked a lot older than him. She was still in her business-suit, I heard. Apparently, they went inside this apartment complex and stayed there for a full thirty minutes before coming out."

Wataru blinked. Kazuki was meeting with a woman? In an apartment? But hold on… before he jumped into any conclusions, he should analyze the situation first. First of all, it's just a _rumor_. And rumors are just that—gossip with no solid evidence. Second, if Kazuki would be meeting an older woman, there was only one whom he could think of.

"Touko-san," he said. "That woman is probably Touko-san. She's Kazuki's cousin. She's also the one who made Kazuki's ring. He was just probably visiting her."

"Really ? You're positive it's Touko-san?"

"Well, who else could it be? Don't worry. I made the same mistake before. I had thought that Touko-san was his girlfriend but it turned out to be the contrary."

"Oh… So I guess there's nothing to worry about, huh Wataru?"

"Absolutely nothing at all," he said with ever so much confidence.

--

When Wataru got back home, he was a bit surprised to see that his parents weren't there. In fact, there wasn't a single soul in the house. He found a note stuck to the fridge that said his parents would be gone late that night. So basically, it would only be him and Karin. But Karin had also told him that she'd be attending a group-study session so she too would be coming late.

What luck!

He flipped his cell phone open and hit the speed dial for Kazuki's number. This would be the exact moment they had been waiting for. If only they had met up earlier in the day then they'd be back at his home right now. Wataru shook his head and swatted away those perverse thoughts. He concentrated instead on the ringing he heard over the phone. He at least wanted to see or hear Kazuki. Even just a glimpse would be fine.

He heard the phone connect. He didn't even wait for the "hello" and immediately spoke. "Hello, Kazuki? It's me."

"_Wataru?_" Kazuki spoke over the phone. "_What's wrong? Why are you calling?_"

Was it just his imagination or did Kazuki sound like… he was trying to get rid of him? "Oh, no reason. I just wanted to hear your voice," he answered. "Listen, there's no one here at the moment. My parents won't be back 'till late. Want to come over?"

"_What? Uh… Sorry, Wataru, I can't…_"

"Why? Are you busy?"

"_Something like that…_" he drawled, but Wataru could sense the hesitation and the dilemma present. "_Listen, I'll talk to you later, okay? I got to go now._"

"Yeah, bye. I love you." Wataru eagerly waited for the "I-love-you" that would be returned to him, but instead, he heard the most peculiar sound.

"_All right, Kazuki-san. Everything's prepared. Are you ready?_"

Was that… a woman's voice he just heard?? On Kazuki's end of the line???

"Kazu—" he opened his mouth to say something, but before he could utter another syllable, he heard Kazuki say "bye" on his end and hung up. The busy dial-tone greeted his ears as he stood for moments filled with dumbfounded confusion. His ears weren't playing tricks on him. That was definitely a woman on the other end, and she did _not_ sound like any woman that _he_ knew of. He knew Touko's voice, and that voice certainly did not belong to Touko.

Who was it? And what did she mean by "everything's prepared"? What's prepared? Worry began to settle in his mind again as he recalled his earlier conversation with Kawamura—the rumor about this mysterious woman whom Kazuki is secretly meeting with. He shook his head. That's just impossible. Those are just rumors. There wouldn't be any possible truths in them. But didn't his phone conversation just give truth to those rumors—that Kazuki is indeed meeting an older woman?

_No, I shouldn't be thinking like that_, he thought. He didn't even know the entire situation. Until he had all the details, he'd reserve his opinion. Who knows? He might be getting worked up over nothing. Until then, he'd just think things through calmly and rationally.

--

A few days had passed since he last met with Kazuki. During that time, they had communicated with text messages and emails, but he could never shake the feeling that his boyfriend was hiding something from him. Another day had ended, and with it another fruitless attempt to meet with his beloved boyfriend.

_Honestly,_ he groaned. _What in the world is Kazuki doing these days?_

"Wataru-chan!" Karin called as she rushed to her brother's side. "Wataru-chan, wait up! Are you in a hurry or something?"

"Not really…"

"Then why'd you go ahead of me? You promised to go shopping with me!"

Wataru was always weak when it came to his sister. Ever since they were small, she had him perfectly wrapped around her finger. He recalled a time when she was asked why she never had boyfriend. She proudly said to everyone, "Who needs a boyfriend when you've got a brother you can boss around?" Her pout had always worked in moving Wataru to her whims, and this was no exception. Shopping was never really one of his favorite past-times—especially grocery shopping. For a guy's logic, anything edible would do. He'd simply toss anything tasty he saw into the shopping cart. There was no carefully made list, or checking of products like smelling of fruits, weighing boxes, etc—which is why he disliked going on shopping errands. But then again, Karin had a hold on him like an iron chain.

"Wataru-chan, are you listening?"

"Hm? You said something Karin?"

"I said, what would you like for dinner? I was thinking of a hot pot with the works like meat and shitake mushrooms. But then again, pasta sounds good. Oooh, but I was thinking of a western dinner like mashed potatoes and barbequed ribs. What do you think?"

"They all sound tasty, Karin." He may be wrapped around her finger, but when it comes to cooking, no one beats his sister. Even their mother yielded defeat to her culinary prowess.

Karin looked like she was about to say something, but something caught her eye and she immediately stopped. She grabbed her brother by the arm and was about to lead him down a different route. Wataru stared at her curiously, and stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong, Karin?" he asked with a peculiar tone. "The shop is _this_ way, isn't it?" He pointed to the path they were supposed to take.

Karin laughed nervously and shrugged her shoulders. "Actually, I heard that a new store had opened. So I want to try that one out." She tugged on his arm, urging him to follow her. Unfortunately, just as much as she knows her brother, so does he know her. He immediately picked up the hint that there was something that she saw, which she did not want him to see.

He turned around and searched the area, trying to catch any indication of unrest. What could have Karin seen that she didn't want him to see? He scanned the surrounding area, taking each detail into consideration. And that's when it happened… his eyes landed on one of the street corners, and there he saw…

"Kazuki…?" he muttered with disbelief. There was Kazuki with an older woman… they were locked in what seemed like a happy conversation. He saw the woman's hand stray ever so casually on Kazuki's shoulder, and he felt the surging urge to go there and swat that hand off. A voice inside his head kept screaming 'don't touch him!' or 'he's mine, stay away!' But what hurt even more was the fact that Kazuki didn't do anything, as if being touched by her was very natural.

He clenched his fists tightly and turned his eyes away. He was about to go in the opposite direction when he felt a familiar tug on his sleeve. "Wait, Wataru-chan," Karin said with panic all over her face. "It's not what it looks like. I swear it's not what it looks like!"

Wataru smiled with every bit of irony tugging his lips. "It's okay, Karin," he said. "No need to make excuses."

"But really!! It's not like that at all!!"

Wataru didn't want to hear anymore. If he stayed, he would just let his temper get the best of him, and he might just end up starting a fight right there in the middle of the street. He refused to stoop to so low a level of maturity, and opt to get his thoughts back in gear and cool his head. He pried his arm from his sister's grasp and stomped away, not wanting to look back and not wanting to hear that voice that kept calling his name.

--

He had walked for hours and hours with no real destination. He would glance around every now and then to acknowledge his surroundings, but afterwards, he'd go back into a haze and keep on walking. When he finally became aware of where he is, it was already evening, and he was back at a familiar looking place with those rusty swings and hydrangea bushes.

"Where do you think you're going?" he heard a voice coming from those same bushes. His eyes widened in surprise as he thought of the impossibility the situation held. There was no way _that person_ would be there… absolutely no way.

All it took was a couple of seconds, and yet everything happened in slow motion in his mind. Kazuki's perfect figure was outlined in a beautiful array of lights from the street lamps. The steps he took made deafening echoes on the concrete pavement. There was a scent of mint carried by the breeze. Wataru thought he was hallucinating again.

"Ka…zuki…?" he mumbled. "Why… are you here…"

"That's a stupid question," the older boy answered. "I live around here, remember?"

Wataru bit his lip as he was overcome by silence. He hadn't expected this… in the midst of his confusion and turmoil, he had subconsciously wandered back to the place that was most special to them—the place their love finally became reality.

He felt time stop; his feet froze on the spot. He couldn't speak or even move. He watched yet again as Kazuki came closer and closer, and then stopped when they were centimeters apart. He gazed upward into those ice-blue eyes, as those eyes gazed downward into his black ones. The only things that were reflected in their eyes were each other.

Warm hands touched both sides of his cheek, making him blush with a maddening shade of red. Kazuki leaned down and captured those lips into his, linking them the same way it did on that fateful summer day. Wataru slowly closed his eyes and answered the kiss, letting himself drown in it, surrendering everything he had to this man.

When the kiss was released, Kazuki did not let go of his hold on the young boy. He kept him close as he did that same day, feeling their beating hearts overlap with one another. "Wataru," he spoke solemnly. "There's something… I want to show you…"

Wataru nodded, not knowing what else to do. He certainly didn't know what to make of the rumor and what his own eyes had witnessed, but he'd believe in Kazuki. Relationships were all about trust. What was the point of loving your partner if you can't even trust him? So now, he would trust Kazuki—he would place his faith in him.

He let the older boy lead him by the hand as they crossed the moonlit shadows towards a destination he could not imagine what would be.

--

"This is…" Wataru mumbled as he stared at the towering building. It was an apartment-complex, no doubt. But what were they doing here?

"Come on up," Kazuki replied. "What I want to show you is upstairs."

He obediently followed his boyfriend as they went up the elevator and reached the seventh floor. He heard the elevator doors open with a ding, and a hallway filled with white walls and wooden doors greeted his sight. He followed as Kazuki made his way to one of the doors, and pulled out a key from his pocket. Turning the knob, he pushed the door open, and Wataru saw a perfectly furnished room with a veranda just beyond the sliding-glass doors.

"Like it?" Kazuki asked with a smile, inviting the younger boy in and closing the door behind him.

"This… is amazing…" Wataru uttered. "I mean, really amazing… What's all this for?"

"Oh nothing," he mused. "This is just where I'll be staying come April when the new school term begins."

"W-What?!"

Kazuki chuckled at his boyfriend's reaction. "Why not? I'll be nineteen this year, and I'll also be going to a university. It makes sense that I move out on my own, right?"

"Y-Yeah, but why…? I mean… how'd you convince your parents to…?"

"I just told them that it's closer to the university. Besides, they have no problems with their son developing a bit of independence, right?"

"……"

"Besides," he said with a tone that hinted something. "Now, there won't be any disturbances, right?"

"Disturbances…? Eh…??!!"

When realization dawned on Wataru, he turned different shades of red and dashed for the door. "D-Don't be ridiculous, Kazuki!" he stammered in a hurried state. "You didn't get this apartment for a reason like that, did you ?"

When he was about to open the door, he felt Kazuki behind him and immediately cornering him, trapping him and preventing him with any means of escape. "It's not ridiculous," said the older boy with a voice deeper than usual. "Every single day I crave for you much stronger than I did before. There's no way that I could be satisfied after just one taste. I'd want to have you more and more until I drown in you."

"Kazuki…"

Wataru felt Kazuki descend on the back of his neck, kissing him and nibbling on his skin. At the same time, he felt hands slipping beneath his shirt to explore that glorious treasure that lay beneath. The sensations brought by those hot fingertips caused so many emotions and feelings to swirl within him that he felt dizzy, yet drawn to it.

"You want it too, right?" the older boy asked, nibbling on his lover's ear.

Wataru gulped and nodded, not fully trusting his voice to say any complete or coherent words. The next thing he knew, he was on the bed—as bare as the day he was born. Above him was the sight of Kazuki panting and filling him to the utmost limit he could take. He heard the bed creak, but it was drowned by the sound of his own voice calling out something. Their hands met and they felt the rings on their fingers turn hot like it was on fire.

Over and over again that night, they made love. They did not tire of it because they longed for it so much. And that was how sleep came to claim them—drenched in their own scents, and their bodies still connected.

--

Wataru felt a slight pain jolt up his back when he tried to move. No matter what position he tried, he still felt uncomfortable and sluggish in every way. It's not that he regretted what transpired the night before, what he hated was the fact that only he was in pain.

"Good morning, Wataru," Kazuki greeted with an enormous smile on his face and a refreshed expression. "Breakfast's ready. Hope you're hungry…"

"Yeah…" he muttered as he watched the older boy place a breakfast-tray in front of him. He still couldn't understand how Kazuki could be so energetic the next day, while he felt under the weather. "I just remembered… I never told my parents that I'd be out the whole night. They're probably mad now."

"I think Karin's got you covered."

"Karin? Why?"

"Well, I did tell her that I was going to show this place to you yesterday. She probably guessed what's going to happen next."

"…Eh??!!!"

"I should let you know that I went through a great deal of trouble to get this. Of course, my parents were willing to finance my stay here, but I absolutely wanted to get this apartment myself no matter what. The walls are a bit sound-proof, you know."

"……"

"I had to meet with a woman from the agency a couple of times. We finalized the papers just a few days ago. And yesterday, we met again to make the finishing touches regarding the move."

"……"

Wataru blinked as he absorbed all this information. So the woman that he had seen, and the woman from the rumors were the same person—someone from the agency! Kazuki was never having an affair!

"Apparently though, Touko had told Karin. I originally wanted it to be a surprise, so I asked her to keep it a secret. So… uff!!"

Kazuki didn't get to finish his sentence as he was immediately tackled by the smaller boy. He fell back on the bed with a soft thud. He didn't say anything as his boyfriend's face came into view, and gradually came closer. He felt a soft peck on the lips as they were joined again by a shy and gentle kiss, yet carrying every bit of passion they had the night before.

He closed his eyes and returned the kiss, pulling his lover closer to him. Words were no longer necessary because their touch was all that they needed. The sun continued to shine brightly through the curtains, outlining their bodies with bright glowing streaks of light. That is how they greeted the morning ever since.

* * *

End of story.

--

Lately, I have become obsessed with Craig David's _Insomnia_, so don't be surprised if I end up making a fanfic or an AMV (about OTRFK) about it. For some reason, the song is just stuck in my head. It also seems that my mom's become addicted to it too because whenever I'm around, she insists that I play that song. She's even gone as far as searching for that track in my CD's and list of mp3's.

Anyway, regarding **Endless Summer**, truth is I've already written about five or six pages for the second chapter, but I am unsatisfied with how it's turning out. I'm not that much of a perfectionist, but if it just doesn't suit me then I won't go for it. So I'm re-writing that chapter. I mean, if I'm not satisfied with it, what more my readers? After the success of **The Untouched Ring**, I want nothing more than to give you guys another story that you will all enjoy and more. So do please bear with me, I'm doing the best I can here.

I would also like to thank my beta **Takara94**. She is such a big help to me. She works really fast, I'll tell you that. Opened my email for the day and whoosh! The chapter's all done! And she is so patient with the releases.

Please leave a review, and here is a preview of the next story I intend to make for Rings of Promise.

**Next story:** It's Asaka's birthday but everyone (including himself) is too busy to celebrate. No sooner had he wished to spend the entire day of his birthday with the one he loves that he gets asked out by none other than Wataru! Is this his dream come true? What's going on?!

Omigosh!!! Yes, it is an Asaka-centric story next time. Look forward to it! xD


	5. Birthday Wish

**Beta-ed by: **Takara94

(sighs) Sorry again for the delay. I've been doing a lot of apologizing lately, haven't I? This spurs my desire of buying a laptop even more.

So here is the next story for ROP, which I promised everyone to be an Asaka-centric fic. I don't have any plans yet for the next story since I have other things on my mind, but hopefully I would be able to get the next update for Endless Summer much quicker.

Read and review guys! Oh, and to give you a heads up… there is LEMON in this chapter. You have been warned.

**Disclaimer:** _Only the Ring Finger Knows_ does not belong to me. It belongs to Kannagi Satoru and to all its proper copyrights.

**Rings of Promise** is a collection of various, unrelated one-shots that are inspired by the OTRFK series. The stories could be before or in-between the novels. It could even be AU-ish in some ways. The ratings may vary per chapter, so look out for the rating.

**Chapter Summary:** It is Asaka's birthday but everyone, including himself, is too busy to celebrate. On the day of his birthday, he makes a wish to spend it with the one he loves. But no sooner had he made that wish did Wataru suddenly come to him, asking him out on a date!

**Rating:** M

**

* * *

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RINGS OF PROMISE

**Fifth Story: Birthday Wish**

* * *

Asaka leaned forward on to the stirring wheel with a soft smile on his face as he admired the city night-lights. The young woman beside him had the same smile on her face as she gently tapped the buckle on her seatbelt. There was soft music playing on the radio, and the streaks of car lights passing them by made the moment seem ethereal.

The woman glanced at her wristwatch and said, "It's midnight." She reached into her handbag and pulled out a cupcake, ripping it out from its packaging. She placed a candle on the center—the candle colored with bright colors like a rainbow. She lit it with the lighter she had brought and turned to the man beside her.

"Happy birthday, Masanobu."

Asaka looked at her and to the small pastry. He heard her whisper a very low, "Make a wish." He undid his seatbelt and leaned towards her, taking the cupcake in his hands. "I wish," he muttered. "I wish to spend my birthday with the one I love." He blew out the candle, and they were plunged into darkness. He regarded her profile for a few moments, and he leaned further—trapping her between the car seat and his arms. He closed the gap between them, and connected their lips together.

--

Asaka opened his eyes, blinking once to adjust his vision to the strong light pouring into the room. He sat upright and felt his back ache due to the uncomfortable position he had slept in the previous night. He was reviewing the layout of the floor, making some minor adjustments to the calculations, and managing the expenses they've made. Due to exhaustion, he fell asleep right there on the desk.

He stretched his arms upward and, by sheer chance, glanced at the calendar. He saw the date marked in red, courtesy of his brother, and it was then he realized what day it was exactly.

It was his birthday.

He sighed as he got up and got ready for another day of work. He didn't have any classes that day, thank God, so he'll just go over to their worksite to give it another look-over. His friends were probably aware that it's his birthday. But the problem was that they were all too busy to celebrate. Even he, himself, had no time to spare. Besides, another birthday celebration would just remind him of Yuina.

Yuina…

"_Make a wish_," he recalled her words on the last birthday celebration they had together.

"_I wish…_" he had replied. "_I wish to spend my birthday with the one I love._"

"The one I love…" he presently murmured. If only that were possible… There was no chance that the one he loves would walk right up to his doorstep and invite him on a date for the whole day. No chance that happening whatsoever! Although, the idea of it did sound nice.

_Just for a day… even in a dream… I would still like it._

Moments after he had washed up, dressed, and eaten a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast, he heard the doorbell ring. He was slightly curious as to who the mysterious visitor was. He certainly didn't get any visitors at his home, and his friends all had classes today. Furthermore, they always met at the worksite, so who could it be?

He opened the door, not really expecting it to be anyone important (probably the mailman), but much to his astonishment, he found himself gazing into eyes that were as black as the night sky.

"Wataru-kun?" he drawled and blinked again.

Wataru smiled at him, and greeted, "Happy birthday, Asaka-san!"

"Birthday… how…??"

"Mitsuki-san told me the other day. And since you don't have anyone to spend it with, I'm thinking of going somewhere like the movies, or the amusement park, or…"

"Wait… Wait a minute," interrupted Asaka.

He reached out his hand and gently tapped it on the boy's ear, causing said boy to pull away and blush with embarrassment. "A-Asaka-san!!!" Wataru squealed, apparently taken aback by that contact. Asaka didn't mean to startle the boy, but he had to make sure that it was real—that it wasn't a dream. Because there was absolutely no way that Wataru would come to him personally and ask him out on a date… if it is indeed a date.

"Wataru-kun… are you asking me out…?" he had to make sure. Wataru simply beamed at him and nodded. Now he was even more confused. "Is… Is this okay with Kazuki-kun? And what about school? Shouldn't you be at school now?"

Wataru waved his hand in dismissal. "Oh, don't worry about that. I can afford to be absent for one day. As for Kazuki… well, it's a secret, okay?"

He winked after the last sentence, and Asaka felt something tug at his heart-string. He fully didn't understand why the boy was asking him out, but it was getting harder and harder to decline.

"Asaka-san," said Wataru, taking the man's hand. "You worry over a lot of things. It's your birthday so it's your right to spend it in whatever way you want."

It seems that those words were all that it really took for him to give in.

--

They had breakfast in one of the western diners. They had both ordered eggs benedict and were very much pleased with the service there. Asaka hardly noticed all the girls that were admiring him in the background as his entire attention was focused on the young man seated opposite him. After breakfast, they strolled around the shopping plaza before finally deciding on watching a movie. Wataru purchased the tickets for them, so he was rather surprised when he learned that the movie was a romance flick.

"What?" Wataru asked as soon as he noticed Asaka giving him the "look".

"Nothing," the older man replied. "I just didn't figure you out to be the type who likes romance in movies—moreover, gay ones."

"I'm not the mushy or discriminatory type, but this movie got a lot of positive reviews so I'm curious about it."

"Really?"

"Yeah… It's about this guy who has everything and anything he wants in the world. Then one day, he meets this boy. He decides to pursue the boy just for a game, while denying that he has growing feelings for the boy. In the end, he realizes just how much he actually loves the boy."

"Oh? Sounds like a promising story then…"

"Well, there's still a lot more to it. Karin already saw it; she wouldn't give me any spoilers. But she told me that it was basically about doing the things you won't regret in life, otherwise you'll realize it's too late to change anything."

The theme of the movie wasn't that captivating, but what interested Asaka was the part of doing something before it becomes too late. Right before they entered the cinema, and after exiting, his eyes strayed towards the towering sight of the Ferris wheel in the distance.

--

After the movie, they had lunch at one of the family-restaurants, and strolled around the park just to kill time. They sat at a bench and watched people stroll by. Asaka still couldn't believe that he was on a date with Wataru—if the boy even considered it to be a date. He certainly didn't know what spurred the lad to come to him, especially on his birthday. It was Friday, and it was bound for the weekend, but that was still no excuse to be absent especially for an exam student such as Wataru.

He glanced at the silver ring on the boy's delicate finger, and he felt a bubble of jealousy in his heart. Even though Wataru was with him right now, he will always be Kazuki's. That was the one wall he wouldn't be able to breach. If only there was some way—even if it was just temporary—for him to have the boy, he would do it.

The next thing he knew, he was dragged to one of the local festivals taking place that month. They spent the rest of the day there, going around booths and stalls for games and snacks. Wataru was exceptionally challenged in catching a goldfish using a paper-net. But he was unbeatable at the shooting range. He easily got all the targets. Asaka chuckled as he watched Wataru win prize after prize. If Kazuki could see them now, surely the boy would seethe.

The day gradually turned into night, and everyone rushed towards the riverside for the traditional fireworks display. Asaka was about to follow when he noticed that Wataru wasn't at his side. He turned to look for the boy, and found him standing in front of a vending machine that apparently offered snacks and small confectionaries. He wondered what the boy was doing, and watched as he tapped his finger on his chin, probably choosing which item to buy. He watched as Wataru's face lit up, and inserted a few coins into the slot. Wataru bent down to collect his purchased item, and for a brief moment, Asaka caught sight of it, which appeared to be a cupcake. He really couldn't tell with the aluminum packaging but he was sure it was a cupcake.

At first, he thought the boy was probably feeling a bit hungry, but then he tucked the pastry into his bag. Asaka felt slightly curious about the action, but as soon as Wataru looked up to him and smiled, he wiped that thought away.

The both of them stayed far away from the crowd, but likewise raised their voices when the fireworks came. Brilliant colors of red, orange, yellow, green and blue lit the sky. It was like a display of heavenly lights that one would probably see or read about in a romance novel.

"Beautiful," said Wataru. "Don't you think so, Asaka-san?"

"Yes," he said, although his gaze was not on the fireworks but on the Ferris wheel that was shimmering in the distance with its splendid lights.

Wataru regarded him curiously and huffed. "Well, it was a wonderful day, don't you think?"

"That it was."

"We practically spent the entire day together!"

"That we did," agreed Asaka.

"So where do you want to go next?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's not yet midnight, so your birthday hasn't officially ended."

"Yes, but… we've been to everywhere…"

"Not yet. Asaka-san, it's your birthday but we haven't gone to the one place you want to go the most. Now, tell me where you want to go and I'll go with you. This is your chance to order me around a bit. You don't want to look back on today and say you regretted not doing this or that."

It took a few seconds for Asaka to process those words. But as soon as he understood the meaning behind them, he smiled and gave a soft chuckle. "You're right," he said. "There is this one place I've wanted to go to—rather, something I've always wanted to do. And I don't want to look back on today and regret for not having done so."

He looked at the boy with a soft gaze and stretched out his hand. "Wataru-kun," he said. "Please accompany me to _that_ place."

Wataru smiled back and accepted Asaka's hand. "I would be glad to."

--

The view of the city from the Ferris wheel, especially during the night, was one of the most amazing things they had ever seen. It showed that even man-made structures like forests of towering buildings were beautiful.

"Wow…" Wataru drawled, looking beyond the glass and into the city sky. Everything was filled with so many sparkling lights. He felt like he had never seen anything so beautiful as this.

"Beautiful, right?" Asaka spoke. "I used to look at this only from my apartment window. I've always admired this Ferris wheel and only looked at it during the nights. I never actually rode in it before."

"Really?" the young boy asked, quite astonished. "Why not?"

"I don't know… Probably because I was so enthralled by its beauty that I thought it would be better to look at it—that this was a special place that I cannot touch. I know it's ridiculous thinking, but that's the way I've thought about it for a long time."

Wataru regarded the man curiosity until a thought suddenly popped into his mind. "You mean you've never been on a Ferris wheel before? Not with anyone?"

"Well… I've been on one when I was a kid… but not with anyone special."

"Not even Yuina-san…?"

"…Not even Yuina."

Asaka watched as the boy fell silent due to his words. He hadn't lied—it's true he never brought Yuina to this Ferris wheel, although he had shown it to her before. This was indeed the first time he had ever ridden on one with someone he considered special and dear to his heart. He continued to watch his young companion, studying every mannerism or movement he made. All the while, the night lights of the towering buildings shone brightly behind him, outlining his figure into a magnificent silhouette.

"So beautiful…" he uttered, unable to contain his awe.

Wataru chuckled, "You're not even looking at the view."

"I'm not looking at the view. I'm looking at something so much more beautiful than that…"

Wataru blushed at the words and averted his gaze, but it made him look even more irresistible to the older man's eyes. Asaka wanted nothing more that this ride to keep on going forever. Never had he felt closer to the boy. It almost seemed like he was already within arm's reach both literally and figuratively speaking.

"Asaka-san," the young boy called to him.

Asaka broke out of his stupor to realize much to his disappointment that the ride was over—which meant so was the date. He sighed as he got out of the car, following Wataru outside. Today had seemed like a dream to him. Waking up to find the boy at his door, asking him out on a date, going to the cinema, eating at a restaurant, watching fireworks together, and then riding the Ferris wheel. It felt like a real date between a real couple. Yes, it was just a dream, and now it was time for him to wake up.

"Asaka-san, are you okay?" asked Wataru. "You're spacing out."

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing," he replied. "Let's go home. It's getting late."

"Yeah, but before that… can we go to one more place?"

"Huh?"

Wataru pressed his hands together and pleaded with a smile. Asaka wasn't entirely sure what the boy was planning, but if it meant that the date would go on longer then it was meant to, he was more than willing to do so. They returned to the car, and drove around town. Asaka followed Wataru's directions faithfully until they reached an old lakeside park. Asaka glanced at him curiously and was about to exit the car, but Wataru stopped him.

"Stay here," he whispered and pointed at the small lake. "Since it's a clear night, I was hoping to show this to you."

Asaka had a puzzled expression on his face, and looked to the lake as well. At the moment his eyes laid on it, he froze at the magnificent scene. The silver rays of the moon fell upon the clear waters of the lake, illuminating the surroundings. The fireflies also danced happily around the rays, giving the place this ethereal atmosphere. He was completely mesmerized by it.

"I, too, have never brought anyone else to this place," said Wataru in a low and gentle voice.

Asaka looked at him in confusion in disbelief. Did that mean that even Kazuki had not stepped foot in this breath-taking place? Was he in fact the first person whom Wataru had shared this sight with? Knowing this, he couldn't help but feel special and that he has earned an important place in the young boy's heart.

He watched as Wataru reached into his small bag and pulled out the packed cupcake he had gotten earlier from the vending machine. He tore open the bag and took out the small pastry, ever so gently holding it in his hands. He also retrieved from his bag a tiny candle twisted around like a spiral column and colored brightly like a rainbow. He placed the candle on the cupcake and lit it with the lighter he had brought with him.

"One minute left 'till midnight, so there's still time," he said.

In that darkened area, the only source of light was the moon, the fireflies, and the tiny candle that Wataru had lit. With a smile on his face, he turned to Asaka and held out the small pastry. "Happy birthday," he said with such a low whisper. Asaka was quite surprised by the simple yet effective gesture. He smiled and took the cupcake from Wataru. He heard the boy utter, "Make a wish." He merely shook his head and replied, "Don't have to. It already came true." He blew out the candle and they were once again brought into darkness with only the moon and the fireflies to be their source of light.

Asaka regarded Wataru again and found his black eyes shimmering like stars. His lips were pursed together and carried a hint of sensuality. His bangs fell down on his face like scattered strands of fine silk, and it contributed more to the sensual atmosphere. Without really thinking, Asaka kept the pasty away on the dashboard and leaned in towards Wataru.

The boy didn't flinch nor did he show any signs of discomfort, even as Asaka wrapped one arm around him drawing their bodies closer. In the next instant, Asaka linked their lips together; gentle at first, but bursting into more raw emotion each passing second. He tasted the inside of Wataru's mouth and never had he thought of the boy to taste so sweet like honey. He leaned in a bit more, forcing the smaller body to sink into the seat cushion, and he felt swept away by their conjoined mouths.

When he finally pulled away for air, he saw Wataru with his eyes closed and panting for air. He carefully observed the breathless boy's face, mesmerized by this expression he had not seen before. Slowly, he tilted the seat downwards until Wataru was looking directly up at him, and he down. The inside of the car suddenly felt hot, like someone had just set them ablaze.

The need to quench this heat arose, and Asaka found himself discarding his jacket, next his shirt 'till he was topless. A fire was lit inside him and he descended to reconnect their lips. As they busied their mouths with each other, Asaka fumbled with the buttons of Wataru's shirt, hurriedly discarding them until he finally felt the boy's bare skin against his. But it wasn't enough. He felt Wataru's arms circle around him, responding to his caresses, holding tightly to his back and pulling him closer to his own body. The fire was getting stronger.

Asaka slid his hands down the young boy's stomach until they reached his pants. Undoing the button and pulling the zipper down, he discarded that as well, very much determined to get more of that succulent skin that seemed to be the only thing that would ease this flame within him.

The fireflies gathered outside their windows, and the moon shone even brighter causing the lake to sparkle and shimmer like a silver jewel.

How they both got nude in that constricted space, he didn't know. All he could understand with this strong urge to love and love again. Their moans and pants filled the small space and echoed as they connected themselves. Asaka had never made love to a man before so it was a whole new experience for him. But the moment he entered the young boy's trembling body, he felt his entire world go blank and the only thing he felt was ecstasy.

He began a slow rhythm, allowing Wataru and himself to adjust to this new sensation. Gradually, he gained new confidence in each thrust, and before long, he was loving the boy like he had never loved before.

Sweat slicked down their bodies and on to the leather-cushioned seat, causing their skin to stick and make this slapping sound. Wataru had to grab on to the older man for support as he moaned and voiced out his pleasure. Asaka couldn't stop, everything that had happened that day all led to this moment—this very moment when he finally had the boy in his arms, and he didn't want to let go.

If this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up. He didn't want the illusion reflected on the shimmering lake to end. "Wataru-kun…" he whispered hoarsely as the heat inside him built up more and more each passing moment. Wataru responded to his passion with the continuous moan and whimper of the older man's name.

They linked their hands together, and Asaka descended on every inch of skin he could find. Tonight, Wataru is his, and he wanted the whole world to know it so he left his mark. A trail of cherry blossoms emerged on Wataru's skin each time Asaka bit down and nibbled on him. The euphoria they felt was drawing closer and closer to a release.

Asaka let out a loud groan as he felt himself near completion. He held on tightly, submerging himself deeper into the boy. And in the next moment, everything went white. They yelled out each other's names as heat began to spread between and inside them. Wataru writhed as he felt the foreign liquid spill inside him filling him to the brim. Asaka collapsed on top of him, breathless and near to exhaustion. He gazed into the boy's eyes once again and gave him another passionate kiss, which gradually grew gentler and gentler. Their bodies were still joined for he did not want to lose the connection. He felt that if he did, then this dream would end and the illusion would cease.

He didn't want that. He wanted to remain in this fantasy forever. So as he lay his head between Wataru's shoulder and neck, he felt the boy's hands softly stroke his hair like a mother would lull her child to sleep. He also faintly heard him hum a lullaby. "Wataru-kun," he mumbled. "I love you."

He never heard Wataru's answer because he drifted to a world of sleep shortly after that.

--

It was morning when Asaka had woken. He found himself at his desk as he did the previous morning, having fallen asleep from reviewing various documents. He felt his muscles ache again for the uncomfortable sleeping position, so he took a moment to stretch out his arms. He stared at the white ceiling for a few short seconds before rising and surveying the room. His expression was that of confusion and puzzlement. He ran a hand through his hair, and tried to recall the events of the previous night.

His birthday… the date… the lake… Wataru and… the car… Did they really have sex in the car…?

Was it even real or was everything just a product of his wild imagination?

He didn't want to ponder on it much further. He quickly got dressed and ready to the club site. When he drove in his car, nothing seemed different. There wasn't any musky scent of sex, and the leather cushions were unstained of liquids of any kind. Did he just imagine it?

When he reached the worksite, he saw all the members there with large grin on their faces. He stared at them curiously before asking, "What's up with everyone?"

"Asaka!" said Mitsuki. "Don't you remember? Today's your birthday! Happy birthday!"

"My birthday?" he said, dumbfounded. "But wasn't that yesterday?"

"What do you mean? Today is Friday. Yesterday was Thursday. You've been working too much."

That didn't sound right. He was sure he dated Wataru on his birthday (which was Friday), and yesterday was his birthday. Yet why was everyone insisting that it was today? He glanced around the room and saw Wataru in the corner helping Kazuki with a few streamers. He immediately wanted to go over their and give the boy a hug, but before he could do so, he saw Kazuki lean closer and plant a quick kiss on the boy's cheek. Wataru flushed red with annoyance and appeared to scold the older boy. Asaka read his lips to say something like "What if someone saw that?" Kazuki only chuckled and returned to his work. Wataru smiled and resumed helping him. He adjusted the collar of his shirt as he did so, and when he did, Asaka saw his neck that was clear of any marks. Asaka was sure he had left some there.

"Ah, Asaka-san!" Wataru greeted, noticing him. "Happy birthday."

Asaka let out a small smile. The greeting was a normal one—the usual ones he would get from the boy. There wasn't a trace there that what happened the night before was real. Nothing… Was it all really a dream? He felt his heart constrict at the simple display of affection the two boys made. He looked away only to see the huge birthday cake that Kana and Mitsuki had ordered for him. It was nothing like that small cupcake that held only one small birthday candle.

He reached into his pocket and took out this small planner and browsed through the dates. True enough, it was Friday. Everyone was on the correct time, except for him.

He pushed away those thoughts and forced himself to smile. "Right," he said. "Thanks everyone."

--

After the party, Asaka returned to his car feeling a mixture of sadness and happiness. Happy that he was able to celebrate his birthday with everyone, but at the same time sad because it only justified that his date with Wataru had been indeed nothing more than a dream.

He sat in his car for a few minutes, contemplating whether to laugh or cry. He gripped the stirring wheel, and banged his head on the horn. The car made a loud beep sound, and he immediately sat upright. He shook away thoughts, deeming it not right to be thinking of such things. As he was about to turn the ignition key, he caught sight of something bright and colorful on the dashboard. He picked it up for closer inspection and discovered it to be a small, thin candle that was twisted around like a spiral pillar. It was also colored like a rainbow.

It was the birthday candle from his dream!

Why was it here? If everything was a dream then this shouldn't even _be_ here! Or was this also a dream?

He smiled—the first genuine smile he had for the day. He didn't know what to make of this, nor what to think of it. But he decided that it would instead become a wonderfully treasured memory of his—a day that he would remember for the rest of his life.

* * *

**End of story.**

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Will everyone kill me for adding that lemon? It's not Kazuki x Wataru… Sacrilege!!! Yeah, well, I couldn't resist….

I wanted to at least give Asaka a chance… even if it is in his dreams… or was it really a dream?? Hehe….

Anyway, I do apologize again for the slow updates for Endless Summer. I'm really aiming for a laptop, that way I don't have sumo-wrestle for the computer. Plus, the weekend is apparently the only time I can write… T.T But that will be remedied once I get a laptop!!!! (hoping)

I already have the story for Endless Summer outlined, and I'm really excited to start working on Empty White Canvas. And to top it off, I am also writing another OTRFK one-shot story. I actually already gave a preview of that story here. Anyway, just look forward to it.

Read and review!!


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